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PAROCHIAL SERMONS.

JOHN HENRY NEWMAN, B.D.

FELLOW OF ORIEL COLLEGE.

VOL. I.

FIFTH EDITION.

LONDON:
FRANCIS & JOHN RIVINGTON,

ST. PAUl/s CHURCH YARD, & WATERLOO PLACE ;

& J. H. PARKER, OXFORD.
1844.

GILBERT & RIVINGTON, PRINTERS,
ST. JOHN'S SQUARE.

TO THE

REV. E. B. PUSEY, B.D.

CANON OF CHRIST CHURCH,

AND REGIUS PROFESSOR OF HEBREW IN THE

UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD,

THIS VOLUME

IS INSCRIBED,

IN AFFECTIONATE ACKNOWLEDGMENT

OF THE BLESSING

OF HIS LONG FRIENDSHIP AND EXAMPLE.

CONTENTS.

SERMON I.

HOLINESS NECESSARY FOR FUTURE BLESSEDNESS.
Hebrews xii. 14.

PAGE

Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord I

SERMON II.

THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL.

Matt. xvi. 26.

What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 17

SERMON III.

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD's WILL WITHOUT OBEDIENCE.

John xiii. 17-
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them .... 3 1

VI CONTENTS.

SERMON IV.

SECRET FAULTS.
Psalm xix. 12-

PAGE

Who can understand His errors ? Cleanse Thou rae from secret
faults 47

SERMON V.

SELF-DENIAL THE TEST OF RELIGIOUS EARNESTNESS.

Romans xiii. 11.
Now is it high time to awake out of sleep 65

SERMON VI.

THE SPIRITUAL MIND.
1 CoR. iv. 20.
Thfe kingdom of God is not in word, but in power 83

SERMON VII.

SINS OF IGNORANCE AND WEAKNESS.
Hebuews X. 22.

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our
bodies washed with pure water 96

CONTENTS. Vll

SERMON VIII.
god's commandments not grievous.

1 John v. 3.

PAGE

This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments ; and
His commandments are not grievous 112

SERMON IX.

the religious use of excited feelings.

Luke viii. 38, 39.

The man out of whom the Devils were departed, besought Him
that he might be with Him ; but Jesus sent him away, saying.
Return to thine own house, and show how great things God
hath done unto thee 130

SERMON X.
profession without practice.

LxjKE xii. 1.

When there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of
people, insomuch that they trode one upon another. He began
to say unto His disciples first of all. Beware ye of the leaven
of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy 144

Vlll CONTENTS.

SERMON XI.

PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY.

Galatians iii. 27.

PAGE

As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on
Christ I6l

SERMON XII.

PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION.

Matthew v. 14.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill
cannot be hid 176

SERMON XIII.

PROMISING WITHOUT DOING.

Matthew xxi. 28 — 30.

A certain man had two sons ; and he came to the first, and said.
Son, go work to-day in my vineyard. He answered and said,
I will not : but afterwards he repented and went. And he
came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and
said, I go. Sir, and went not 191

CONTENTS. IX

SERMON XIV.

RELIGIOUS EMOTION.
Mark xiv. 31.

PAGE

But he spake the more vehemently. If I should die with Thee
I will not deny Thee in any wise 205

SERMON XV.

RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL.

Romans iv. 20, 21.

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief;
but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being
fully persuaded that what He had promised He was able also
to perform 219

SERMON XVI.

THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES.

John iii. 9.
How can these things be ? 234

SERMON XVTI.

THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER.

1 Cor. iii. 18, 19.

liCt no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth
to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may
be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with
God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own
craftiness 248

CONTENTS.

SERMON XVIII.

OBEDIENCE THE REMEDY FOR RELIGIOUS PER-
PLEXITY,

Psalm xxxvii. 34.

PAGE

Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee
to inherit the land 264

SERMON XIX.

TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER.

Matthew vi. 6.

Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when
thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in
secret ; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward
thee openly 282

SERMON XX.

FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER.

Luke xi. 1.
Lord teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples . . . 298

SERMON XXI.

THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY.

Luke xx. 37, 38.

Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush,
when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For He is not a God of the
dead, but of the living ; for all live unto Him 314

CONTENTS. XI

SERMON XXII.

THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES.
Acts x. 40, 41.

PAGE

Him God raised up the third day, and showed Him openly ; not
to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God,
even to us who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from
the dead 326

SERMON XXIII.

CHRISTIAN REVERENCE.

Psalm ii. 11.
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling .... 341

SERMON XXIV.

THE RELIGION OF THE DAY.

Hebkews xii. 28, 29.

Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with
reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming
fire 357

SERMON XXV.

SCRIPTURE A RECORD OF HUMAN SORROW.

John v. 2, 3.

There is at Jerusalem by the sheepmarket a pool, which is called
in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In
these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt,
withered, waiting for the moving of the water 376

Xll CONTENTS.

SERMON XXVI.

CHRISTIAN MANHOOD.

1 Cor. xiii. 11.

Page
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child,

I thought as a child ; but when I became a man I put away

childish things 389

SERMON I.

HOLINESS NECESSARY FOR FUTURE BLESSEDNESS.

Hebrews xii. 14.
" Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."

In this text it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit
to convey a chief truth of religion in a few words.
It is this circumstance which makes it especially
impressive ; for the truth itself is declared in one
form or other in every part of Scripture. It is
told us again and again, that to make sinful crea-
tures holy was the great end which our Lord had in
view in taking upon Him our nature, and thus none
but the holy will be accepted for His sake at the
last day. The whole history of redemption, the
covenant of mercy in all its parts and provisions,
attest the necessity of holiness in order to salvation ;
as indeed even our natural conscience bears witness
also. But in the text what is elsewhere implied
in history, and enjoined by precept, is stated doc-

VOL. I. B

2 HOLINESS NECESSARY FOR [Serm.

trinally, as a momentous and necessary fact, the
result of some awful irreversible law in the nature
of things, and the inscrutable determination of the
Divine Will.

Now, some one may ask, "Why is it that
holiness is a necessary qualiiScation for our being
received into Heaven? why is it that the Bible
enjoins upon us so strictly to love, fear, and obey
God, to be just, honest, meek, pure in heart, for-
giving, heavenly-minded, self-denying, humble, and
resigned ? Man is confessedly weak and corrupt ;
why then is he enjoined to be so religious, so
unearthly? why is he required (in the strong
language of Scripture) to become a new creature ?
Since he is by nature what he is, would it not
be an act of greater mercy in God to save him
altogether without this holiness, which it is so
difficult, yet (as it appears) so necessary for him to
possess ? "

Now, we have no right to ask this question.
Surely it is quite enough for a sinner to know, that
a way has been opened through God's grace for
his salvation, without being informed why that
way, and not another way was chosen by Divine
Wisdom. Eternal life is " the gift of God." Un-
doubtedly He may prescribe the terms on which
He will give it ; and if He has determined holiness
to be the way of life, it is enough ; it is not for us
to inquire why He has so determined.

Yet the question may be asked reverently, and

I.] FUTURE BLESSEDNESS. 3

with a view to enlarge our insight into our own
condition and prospects; and in that case the at-
tempt to answer it will be profitable, if it be made
soberly. I proceed, therefore, to state one of the
reasons assigned in Scripture, why present holiness
is necessary, as the text declares to us, for future
happiness.

To be holy is, in our Church's words, to have
" the true circumcision of the Spirit ; " that is, to
be separate from sin, to hate the works of the world,
the flesh, and the devil ; to take pleasure in keep-
ing God's commandments; to do things as He
would have us do them ; to live habitually as in the
sight of the world to come, as if we had broken
the ties of this life, and were dead already. Why
cannot we be saved without possessing such a frame
and temper of mind ?

I answer as follows : That, even supposing a man
of unholy life were suffered to enter Heaven, he
would not be happy there; so that it would be no
mercy to permit him to enter.

We are apt to deceive ourselves, and to consider
Heaven a place like this earth ; I mean, a place
where every one may choose and take his own
pleasure. We see that in this world, active men
have their own enjoyments, and domestic men
have theirs ; men of literature, of science, of po-
litical talent, have their respective pursuits and
pleasures. Hence we are led to act as if it will be
the same in another world. The only difference

B 2

4 HOLINESS NECESSARY FOR [Serm.

we put between this world and the next is, that
here (as we know well), men are not always sure,
but there, we suppose they will he always sure, of
obtaining what they seek after. And accordingly
we conclude, that any man, whatever his habits,
tastes, or manner of life, if once admitted into
Heaven, would be happy there. Not that we al-
together deny, that some preparation is necessary
for the next world; but we do not estimate its
real extent and importance. We think we can
reconcile ourselves to God when we will ; as if
nothing were required in the case of men in general,
but some temporary attention, more than ordinary,
to our religious duties, — some strictness, during our
last sickness, to the services of the Church, as
men of business arrange their letters and papers
on taking a journey or balancing an account. But
an opinion like this, though commonly acted
on, is refuted as soon as put into words. For
Heaven, it is plain from Scripture, is not a place
where" many different and discordant pursuits can
be carried on at once, as is the case in this world.
Here every man can do his own pleasure, but
there he must do God^s pleasure. It would be
presumption to attempt to determine the em-
ployments of that eternal life, which good men
are to pass in God's presence, or to deny that
that state which eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, nor mind conceived, may comprise an in-
finite variety of pursuits and occupations. Still

I.] FUTURE BLESSEDNESS. 5

SO far we are distinctly told, that that future life
will be spent in God's presence, in a sense which
does not apply to our present life; so that it may
be best described as an endless and uninterrupted
worship of the Eternal Father, Son, and Spirit.
" They serve him day and night in his temple,
and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell
among them .... The Lamb which is in the
midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead
theui unto living fountains of waters." Again,
" The city had no need of the sun, neither of the
moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did
lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And
the nations of them which are saved shall walk in
the light of it, and the kings of the earth do bring
their glory and honour into it '." These passages
from St. John are sufficient to remind us of many
others.

Heaven, then, is not like this world ; I will say
what it is much more like, — a church. For in a
place of public worship no language of this world is
heard; there are no schemes brought forward for
temporal objects, great or small; no information
how to strengthen our worldly interests, extend
our influence, or establish our credit. These
things indeed may be right in their way, so that
we do not set our hearts upon them; still (I
repeat) it is certain that we hear nothing of them

' Rev. vii. 15, 17; xxi. 23, 24.

6 HOLINESS NECESSARY FOR [Serm.

in a church. Here we hear solely and entirely of
God. We praise Him, worship Him, sing to Him,
thank Him, confess to Him, give ourselves up to
Him, and ask His blessing. And therefore, a church
is like Heaven; viz., because both in the one and
the other, there is one single sovereign subject —
religion — brought before us.

Supposing, then, instead of it being said that
no irreligious man could serve and love God in
Heaven, (or see Him, as the text expresses it,) we
were told that no irreligious man could worship, or
spiritually see Him in church; should we not at
once perceive the meaning of the doctrine? viz.,
that, were a man to come hither, who had suffered
his mind to grow up in its own way, as nature
or chance determined, without any delibei-ate
habitual effort after truth and purity, he would
find no real pleasure here, but would soon get
weary of the place ; because, in this house of God,
he would hear only of that one subject which he
cared little or nothing about, and nothing at all
of those things which excited his hopes and fears,
his sympathies and energies. If, then, a man with-
out religion (supposing it possible) were admitted
into Heaven, doubtless he would sustain a great
disappointment. Before, indeed, he fancied that he
could be happy there; but when he arrived there,
he would find no discourse but that which he
had shunned on earth, no pursuits but those
he had disliked or despised, nothing which bound

I.] FUTURE BLESSEDNESS. 7

him to aught else in the universe, and made him
feel at home, nothing which he could enter into and
rest upon. He would jDerceive himself to be an
isolated being, cut away by Supreme Power from
those objects which were still entwined around his
heart. Nay, he would be in the presence of that
Supreme Power, whom he never on earth could
bring himself steadily to think upon, and whom now
he regarded only as the destroyer of all that was
precious and dear to him. Ah! he could not bear
the face of the Living God; the Holy God would
be no object of joy to him. " Let us alone !
What have we to do with thee?" is the sole
thought and desire of unclean souls, even while
they acknowledge His majesty. None but the
holy can look upon the Holy One; without holiness
no man can endure to see the Lord.

When, then, we think to take part in the joys of
Heaven without holiness, we are as inconsiderate
as if we supposed we could take an interest in the
worship of Christians here below without possessing
it in our measure. A careless, a sensual, an un-
believing mind, a mind destitute of the love
and fear of God, with narrow views and earthly
aims, a low standard of duty, and a benighted
conscience, a mind contented with itself, and
unresigned to God's will, would not feel pleasure,
at tlie last day, at the words, " Enter into the joy
of thy Lord," more than it does now at the words,
" Let us pray." Nay, much less, because, while

8 HOLINESS NECESSARY FOR [Serm.

we are in a church, we may turn our thoughts to
other subjects, and contrive to forget that God
is looking on us; but that will not be possible in
Heaven.

We see, then, that holiness, or inward separa-
tion from the world, is necessary to our admission
into Heaven, because Heaven is not Heaven, is
not a place of happiness except to the holy. There
are bodily indispositions which affect the taste,
so that the sweetest flavours become ungrateful
to the palate; and indispositions which impair
the sight, tinging the fair face of nature with some
sickly hue. In like manner, there is a moral
malady which disorders the inward sight and taste;
and no man labouring under it is in a condition to
enjoy what Scripture calls "the fulness of joy
in God's presence, and pleasures at his right hand
for evermore."

Nay, I will venture to say more than this ; — it
is fearful, but it is right to say it; — that if we
wished to imagine a punishment for an unholy,
reprobate soul, we perhaps could not fancy a
greater than to summon it to Heaven. Heaven
would be hell to an irreligious man. We know
how unhappy we are apt to feel at present, when
alone in the midst of strangers, or of men of differ-
ent tastes and habits from ourselves. How miser-
able, for example, would it be to have to live in a
foreign land, among a people whose faces we never
saw before, and whose language we could not

I.J FUTURE BLESSEDNESS. 9

learn. And this is but a faint illustration of the
loneliness of a man of earthly dispositions and
tastes, thrust into the society of saints and angels.
How forlorn would he wander through the courts
of Heaven ; he would find no one like himself ;
he would see in every direction the marks of God's
holiness, and these would make him shudder.
He would feel himself always in His presence. He
could no longer turn his thoughts another way,
as he does now, when conscience reproaches him.
He would know that the Eternal Eye was ever
upon him ; and that Eye of holiness, which is joy
and life to holy creatures, would seem to him
an Eye of wrath and punishment. God cannot
change His nature. Holy He must ever be. But
while He is holy, no unholy soul can be happy in
Heaven. Fire does not inflame iron, but it inflames
straw. It would cease to be fire if it did not. And
so Heaven itself would be fire to those, who would
fain escape across the great gulf from the torments
of Hell. The finger of Lazarus would but increase
their thirst. The very " Heaven that is over their
head," will be " brass" to them.
. And now I have partly explained why it is that
holiness is prescribed to us as the condition on our
part for our admission into Heaven. It seems to
be necessary from the very nature of things. We
do not see how it could be otherwise. — Now then I
will mention two important truths which seem to
follow from what has been said.

10 HOLINESS NECESSARY FOR " [Serm.

1. If a certain character of mind, a certain state
of the heart and affections be necessary for entering
Heaven, our actions will avail for our salvation,
chiefly as they tend to produce or evidence this
frame of mind. Good works (as they are called)
are required, not as if they had any thing of merit
in them, not as if they could of themselves
turn away God's anger for our sins, or purchase
Heaven for us, but because they are the means,
under God's grace, of strengthening and showing
forth that holy principle which God implants
in the heart, and without which (as the text tells
us) we cannot see Him. The more numerous
are our acts of charity, self-denial, and forbearance,
of course the more will our minds be schooled into
a charitable, self-denying, and forbearing temper.
The more frequent are our prayers, the more
humble, patient, and religious are our daily deeds,
this communion with God, these holy works, will
be the means of making our hearts holy, and of
preparing us for the future presence of God.
Outward acts, done on principle, create inward
habits. I repeat, the separate acts of obedience
to the will of God, good works as they are called,
are of service to us, as gradually severing us from
this world of sense, and impressing our hearts with
a heavenly character.

It is plain, then, what works are not of service
to our salvation ; — all those which either have no
effect upon the heart to change it, or which have

I.] FUTURE BLESSEDNESS. 11

a bad effect. What then must be said of those
who think it an easy thing to please God, and to
recommend themselves to Him ; who do a few
scanty services, call these the walk of faith, and
are satisfied with them ? Such men, it is too evi-
dent, instead of being themselves profited by their
acts, such as they are, of benevolence, honesty, or
justice, may be (I might even say) injured by them.
For these very acts, even though good in them-
selves, are made to foster in these persons a bad
spirit, a corrupt state of heart, viz., self-love, self-
conceit, self-reliance, instead of tending to turn
them from this world to the Father of spirits. In
like manner, the mere outward acts of coming to
church, and saying prayers, which are, of course,
duties imperative upon all of us, are really service-
able to those only who do them in a heavenward
spirit. Because such men only use these good
deeds to the improvement of the heart; whereas
even the most exact outward devotion avails not a
man, if it does not improve it.

2. But observe what follows from this. If holi-
ness be not merely the doing a certain number of
good actions, but is an inward character which
follows, under God's grace, from doing them, how
far distant from that holiness are the multitude of
men ! They are not yet even obedient in outward
deeds, which is the first step towards possessing
it. They have even to learn to practise good
works, as the means of changing their hearts,

12 HOLINESS NECESSARY FOR [Serm.

which is the end. It follows at once, even though
Scripture did not plainly tell us so, that no one is
able to prepare himself for heaven, that is, make
himself holy, in a short time ; — at least we do not
see how it is possible ; and this, viewed merely as
a deduction of the reason, is a serious thought.
Yet, alas ! as there are persons who think to be
saved by a few scanty performances, so there are
others who suppose they may be saved all at once
by a sudden and easily-acquired faith. Most men
who are living in neglect of God, silence their
consciences, when troublesome, with the promise
of repenting some future day. How often are
they thus led on till death surprises them ! But
we will suppose they do begin to repent when that
future day comes. Nay, we will even suppose
that Almighty God were to forgive them, and to
admit them in His holy heaven. Well, but is
nothing more requisite ? are they in a fit state to
do Him service in heaven ? is not this the very
point I have been so insisting on, that they are iwt
in a fit state? has it not been shown that, even if
admitted there without a change of heart, they
would find no pleasure in heaven ? and is a change
of heart wrought in a day? Which of our tastes
or likings can we change at our will in a moment ?
Not the most superficial. Can we then at a word
change the whole frame and character of our
minds? Is not holiness the result of many patient,
repeated efforts after obedience, gradually working

I.] FUTURE BLESSEDNESS. 13

on US, and first modifying and then changing our
hearts? We dare not, of course, set bounds to
God's mercy and power in cases of repentance late
in life, even where He has revealed to us the
general rule of His moral governance ; yet, surely
it is our duty ever to keep steadily before us, and
act upon, those general truths which His Holy
Word has declared. His Holy Word in various
ways warns us, that, as no one will find happiness
in heaven, who is not holy, so no one can learn
to be so, in a short time, and when he will. It
implies it in the text, which names a qualification,
which we know in matter of fact does ordinarily
take time to gain. It propounds it clearly, though
in figure, in the parable of the wedding garment,
in which inward sanctification is made a condition
distinct from our acceptance of the proffer of
mercy, and not negligently to be passed over in our
thoughts as if a necessary consequence of it ; and
in that of the ten virgins, which shows us that we
must meet the bridegroom with the oil of holiness,
and that it takes time to procure it. And it
solemnly assures us in St. Paul's Epistles, that it is
possible so to presume on Divine grace, as to let
slip the accepted time, and be sealed even before
the end of life to a reprobate mind.'

I wish to speak to you, my brethren, not as if
aliens from God's mercies, but as partakers of

• Heb. vi. 4— G; x. 26- 29. Vid. also 2 Pet. ii. 20. 22.

14 HOLINESS NECESSARY FOR [Serm.

His gracious covenant in Christ ; and for this
reason in especial peril, since those only can incur
the sin of making void His covenant, who have the
privilege of it. Yet neither on the other hand do
I speak to you as wilful and obstinate sinners, ex-
posed to the imminent risk of forfeiting, or the
chance of having forfeited, your hope of heaven.
But I fear there are those, who, if they dealt faith-
fully with their consciences, would be obliged to
own that they had not made the service of God
their first and great concern ; that their obedience,
so to call it, has been a matter of course, in which
the heart has had no part ; that they have acted
uprightly in worldly matters chiefly for the sake of
their worldly interest. I fear there are those, who,
whatever be their sense of religion, yet have such
misgivings about themselves, as lead them to make
resolve to obey God more exactly some future day,
such misgivings as convict them of sin, though not
enough to bring before them its heinousness or its
peril. Such men are trifling with the appointed
season of mercy. To obtain the gift of holiness
is the work of a life. No man will ever be perfect
here, so sinful is our nature. Thus, in putting off
the day of repentance, these men are reserving
for a few chance years, when strength and vigour
are gone, that work for which a wJiole life would
not be enough. That work is great and arduous
beyond expression. There is much of sin remaining
even in the best of men, and "if the righteous

I.] FUTURE BLESSEDNESS. 15

scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the
sinner appear'?" Their doom may be fixed any
moment ; and though this thought should not make
a man despair to-day, yet it should ever make him
tremble for to-morrow.

Perhaps, however, others may say : — " We know
something of the power of religion — we love it
in a measure — we have many right thoughts —
we come to church to pray; this is a proof that
we are prepared for heaven : — we are safe, and
what has been said does not apply to us." But
be not you, my brethren, in the number of these.
One principal test of our being true servants of
God is our wishing to serve Him better ; and be
quite sure that a man who is contented with his
own proficiency in Christian holiness, is at best
in a dark state, or rather in great peril. If we
are really imbued with the grace of holiness, we
shall abhor sin as something base, irrational, and
polluting. Many men, it is true, are contented
with partial and indistinct views of religion, and
mixed motives. Be you content with nothing
short of perfection ; exert yourselves day by day
to grow in knowledge and grace; that, if so be,
you may at length attain to the presence of Al-
mighty God.

Lastly ; while we thus labour to mould our
hearts after the pattern of the holiness of our

* 1 Pet. iv. 18.

16 HOLINESS NECESSARY FOR FUTURE BLESSEDNESS.

Heavenly Father, it is our comfort to know, what
I have already implied, that we are not left to
ourselves, but that the Holy Ghost is graciously
present with us, and enables us to triumph over,
and to change our own minds. It is a comfort and
encouragement, while it is an anxious and awful
thing, to know that God works in and through us \
We are the instruments, but we are only the
instruments of our own salvation. Let no one
say that I discourage him, and propose to him
a task beyond his strength. All of us have the
gifts of grace pledged to us from our youth up.
We know this well ; but we do not use our pri-
vilege. We form mean ideas of the difficulty of
our duties, and in consequence never enter into
the greatness of the gifts given us to meet it.
Then afterwards, if perchance we gain a deeper
insight into the work we have to do, we think
God a hard master, who commands much from
a sinful race. Narrow, indeed, is the way of life,
but infinite is His love and power who is with the
Church, in Christ's plaee, to guide us along it.

• PhiL il 12, 13.

SERMON II.

THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL.

* Matthew xvi. 26.

" What shall a man give in exchange for his soul ? "

I SUPPOSE there is no tolerably informed Christian
but considers he has a correct notion of the differ-
ence between our religion and the paganism
which it supplanted. Every one, if asked what it
is we have gained by the Gospel, will promptly
answer, that we have gained the knowledge of our
immortality, of our having souls which will live for
ever ; that the heathen did not know this, but that
Christ taught it, and that His disciples know it.
Every one will say, and say truly, that this was the
great and solemn doctrine which gave the Gospel
a claim to be heard when first preached, which
arrested the thoughtless multitudes, who were
busied in the pleasures and pursuits of this life,
awed them with the vision of the life to come,
and sobered them till they turned to God with
a true heart. It will be said, and said truly,
VOL. I. c

18 THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. [Serm.

that this doctrine of a future life was the doc-
trine which broke the power and the fascination
of paganism. The poor benighted heathen were
engaged in all the frivolities and absurdities of
a false ritual, which had obscured the light of
nature. They knew God, but they forsook Him
for the inventions of men; they made protectors
and guardians for themselves; and had "gods
many and lords many '." They had their profane
worship, their gaudy processions, their indulgent
creed, their easy observances, their sensual fes-
tivities, their childish extravagances, such as might
suitably be the religion of beings who were to live
for seventy or eighty years, and then die once for
all, never to live again. " Let us eat and drink,
for to-morrow we die," was their doctrine and
their rule of life. "To-morrow we die;" — this
the Holy Apostles admitted. They taught so far
m the heathen ; " To-morrow we die ;" but then
they added, "And after death the judgment;'' —
judgment upon the eternal soul, which lives in
spite of the death of the body. And this was the
truth, which awakened men to the necessity of
having a better and deeper religion than that
which had spread over the earth, when Christ
came, — which so wrought upon them that they
left that old false worship of theirs, and it fell.
Yes! though throned in all the power of the

' 1 Cor. viii. 5.

II.] THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. 19

world, a sight such as eye had never before seen,
though supported by the great and the many, the
magnificence of kings and the stubbornness of
people, it fell. Its ruins remain scattered over the
face of the earth; the shattered works of its great
upholder, that fierce enemy of God, the Pagan
Roman Empire. Those ruins are found even
among ourselves, and show how marvellously great
was its power, and therefore how much more
powerful was that which broke its power; and
this was the doctrine of the immortality of the
soul. So entire is the revolution which is produced
among men, wherever this high truth is really
received.

I have said that every one of us is able fluently
to speak of this doctrine, and is aware that the
knowledge of it forms the fundamental difference
between our state and that of the heathen. And
yet, in spite of our being able to speak about it
and our " form of knowledge \" (as St. Paul terms
it,) there seems scarcely room to doubt, that the
greater number of those who are called Christians
in no true sense realize it in their own minds at
all. Indeed, it is a very difficult thing to bring
home to us; and to feel that we have souls; and
there cannot be a more fatal mistake than to
suppose we see what the doctrine means, as soon
as we can use the words which signify it. So

* Rom. ii. 20.

c 2

20 THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. [Serm.

great a thing is it to understand that we have
souls, that the knowing it, taken in connexion
with its results, is all one with being serious, i. e.
truly religious. To discern our immortality is
necessarily connected with fear and trembling
and repentance, in the case of every Christian.
Who is there but would be sobered by an actual
sight of the flames of hell fire and the souls
therein hopelessly enclosed? Would not all his
thoughts be drawn to that awful sight, so that
he would stand still gazing fixedly upon it, and
forgetting every thing else; seeing nothing else,
hearing nothing, engrossed with the contemplation
of it ; and when the sight was withdrawn, still
having it fixed in his memory, so that he would
be henceforth dead to the pleasures and employ-
ments of this world, considered in themselves,
thinking of them only in their reference to that
fearful vision? This would be the overpowering
effect of such a disclosure, whether it actually led
a man to repentance or not. And thus absorbed
in the thought of the life to come are they who
really and heartily receive the words of Christ
and His Apostles. Yet to this state of mind, and
therefore to this true knowledge, the multitude
of men called Christians are certainly strangers ; a
thick veil is drawn over their eyes; and in spite
of their being able to talk of the doctrine, they
are as if they never had heard of it. They go on
just as the heathen did of old : they eat, they

II.] THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. 21

drink; or they amuse themselves in vanities, and
live in the world, without fear and without sorrow,
just as if God had not declared that their conduct
in this life would decide their destiny in the next ;
just as if they either had no souls, or had nothing or
little to do with the saving of them, which was the
creed of the heathen.

Now let us consider what it is to bring home
to ourselves that we have souls, and in what the
especial difficulty of it lies; for this may be of
use to us in our attempt to realize that awful
truth.

We are from our birth apparently dependent on
things about us. We see and feel that we could
not live or go forward without the aid of man.
To a child this world is every thing : he seems
to himself a part of this world, — a part of this
world, in the same sense in which a branch is
part of a tree ; he has little notion of his own
separate and independent existence : that is, he
has no just idea he has a soul. And if he goes
through life with his notions unchanged, he has
no just notion, even to the end of life, that he
has a soul. He views himself merely in his
connexion with this world, which is his all ; he
looks to this world for his good, as to an idol ; and
when he tries to look beyond this life, he is able
to discern nothing in prospect, because he has no
idea of any thing, nor can fancy any thing, but this
life. And if he is obliged to fancy something, he

22 THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. [Serm.

fancies this life over again ; just as the heathen,
when they reflected on those traditions of another
life, which were floating among them, could but
fancy the happiness of the blessed to consist in the
enjoyment of the sun, and the sky, and the earth,
as before, only as if these were to be more splendid
than they are now.

To understand that we have souls, is to feel our
separation from things visible, our independence
of them, our distinct existence in ourselves, our
individuality, our power of acting for ourselves this
way or that way, our accountableness for what
we do. These are the great truths which lie
wrapped up indeed even in a child's mind, and
which God's grace can unfold there in spite of
the influence of the external world ; but at first
this outward world prevails. We look off from
self to the things around us, and forget ourselves
in them. Such is our state, — a depending for
support on the reeds which are no stay, and over-
looking our real strength, — at the time when God
begins His process of reclaiming us to a truer view
of our place in His great system of providence.
And when He visits us, then in a little while
there is a stirring within us. The unprofitableness
and feebleness of the things of this world are
forced upon our minds ; they promise but cannot
perform, they disappoint us. Or, if they do
perform what they promise, still (so it is) they
do not satisfy us. We still crave for something,

II.] THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. ^

we do not well know what ; but we are sure it is
something which the world has not given us.
And then its changes are so many, so sudden, so
silent, so continual. It never leaves changing ;
it goes on to change, till we are " quite sick at
heart : — then it is that our reliance on it is broken.
It is plain we cannot continue to depend upon it,
unless we keep pace with it, and go on changing
too ; but this we cannot do. We feel that, while
it changes, we are one and the same; and thus,
under God's blessing, we come to have some
glimpse of the meaning of our independence of
things temporal, and our immortality. And should
it so happen that misfortunes come upon us, (as
they often do,) then still more are we led to
understand the nothingness of this world ; then
still more are we led to distrust it, and are weaned
from the love of it, till at length it floats before
our eyes merely as some idle veil, which, not-
withstanding its many tints, cannot hide the view
of what is beyond it ; — and we begin, by degrees,
to perceive that there are but two beings in the
whole universe, our own soul, and the God who
made it.

Sublime, unlooked-for doctrine, yet most true!
To every one of us there are but two beings in
the whole world, himself and God ; for, as to this
outward scene, its pleasures and pursuits, its
honours and cares, its contrivances, its personages,
its kingdoms, its multitude of busy slaves, what

24 THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. [Serm.

are they to us ? nothing — no more than a show : —
"The world passeth away and the lust thereof."
And as to those others nearer to us, who are not
to be classed with the vain world, I mean our
friends and relations, whom we are right in loving,
these, too, after all, are nothing to us here. They
cannot really help or profit us ; we see them, and
they act upon us, only (as it were) at a distance,
through the medium of sense ; they cannot get
at our souls ; they cannot enter into our thoughts,
or really be companions to us. In the next world
it will, through God's mercy, be otherwise; but
here we enjoy, not their presence, but the anticipa-
tion of what one day shall be ; so that, after all,
they vanish before the clear vision we have, first, of
our own existence, next of the presence of the great
God in us, and over us, as our Governor and Judge,
who dwells in us by our conscience, which is His
representative.

And now consider what a revolution will take
place in the mind that is not utterly reprobate, in
proportion as it realizes this relation between itself
and the most high God. We never in this life
can fully understand what is meant by our living
for ever, but we can understand what is meant
by this world's not living for ever, by its dying
never to rise again. And learning this, we learn
that we owe it no service, no allegiance; it has
no claim over us, and can do us no material good
nor harm. On the other hand, the law of God

II.] THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. 25

written on our hearts bids us serve Him, and partly
tells us how to serve Him, and Scripture completes
the precepts which nature began. And both Scrip-
ture and conscience tell us we are answerable
for what we do, and that God is a righteous
Judge ; and, above all, our Saviour, as our visible
Lord God, takes the place of the world as the Only-
begotten of the Father, having shown Himself
openly, that we may not say that God is hidden.
And thus a man is drawn forward by all manner of
powerful influences to turn from things temporal to
things eternal, to deny himself, to take up his cross
and follow Christ. For there are Christ's awful
threats and warnings to make him serious. His pre-
cepts to attract and elevate him, His promises to
cheer him. His gracious deeds and sufferings to
humble him to the dust, and to bind his heart once
and for ever in gratitude to Him who is so surpass-
ing in mercy. All these things act upon him ; and,
as truly as St. Matthew rose from the receipt of
custom when Christ called, heedless what by-
standers would say of him, so they who, through
grace, obey the secret voice of God, move onward
contrary to the world's way, and careless what man-
kind may say of them, as understanding that they
have souls, which is the one thing they have to care
about.

I am well aware that there are indiscreet
teachers gone forth into the world, who use lan-
guage such as I have used, but mean something

26 THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. [Sehm.

very different. Such are they who deny the grace
of baptism, and think that a man is converted to
God all at once. But I have no need now to
mention the difference between their teaching and
that of Scripture. Whatever their peculiar errors
are, so far as they say that we are by nature blind
and sinful, and must, through God's grace, and
our own endeavours, learn that we have souls
and rise to a new life, severing ourselves from the
world that is, and walking by faith in what is
unseen and future, so far they say true, for they
speak the words of Scripture ; which says, " Awake
thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and
Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk
circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming
the time, because the days are evil ; wherefore be
ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of
the Lord is ^"

Let us, then, seriously question ourselves, and
beg of God grace to do so honestly, whether we
are loosened from the world ; or whether, living
as dependent on it, and not on the Eternal Author
of our being, we are in fact taking our portion
with this perishing outward scene, and ignorant
of our having souls. 1 know very well that such
thoughts are distasteful to the minds of men in
general. Doubtless many a one there is, who,
on hearing doctrines such as I have been insisting

• Eph. V. 14—17.

II.] THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. 21

on, says in his heart, that religion is thus made
gloomy and repulsive ; that he would attend to
a teacher who spoke in a less severe way; and
that in fact Christianity was not intended to be a
dark burdensome law, but a religion of cheerful-
ness and joy. This is what young people think,
though they do not express it in this argumenta-
tive form. They view a strict life as something
offensive and hateful ; they turn from the notion
of it. And then, as they get older and see more
of the world, they learn to defend their opinion,
and express it more or less in the way in which I
have just put it. They hate and oppose the truth,
as it were upon principle ; and the more they are
told that they have souls, the more resolved they
are to live as if they had not souls. But let us
take it as a clear point from the first, and not to
be disputed, that religion must ever be difficult to
those who neglect it. All things that we have to
learn are difficult at first ; and our duties to God,
and to man for His sake, are peculiarly difficult,
because they call upon us to take up a new life,
and quit the love of this world for the next. It
cannot be avoided ; we must fear and be in sorrow,
before we can rejoice. The Gospel must be a
burden before it comforts and brings us peace.
No one can have his heart cut away from the
natural objects of its love, without pain during the
process and throbbings afterwards. This is plain
from the nature of the case: and, however true

28 THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. [Serm.

it be, that this or that teacher may be harsh and
repulsive, yet he cannot materially alter things.
Reliofion is in itself at first a weariness to the
worldly mind, and it requires an effort and a self-
denial in every one who honestly determines to be
religious.

But there are other persons who are far more
hopeful than those I have been speaking of,
who, when they hear repentance and newness
of life urged on them, are frightened at the
thought of the greatness of the work ; they are
disheartened at being told to do so much. Now
let it be well understood, that to realize our
own individual accountableness and immortality,
of which I have been speaking, is not required
of them all at once. I never said a person was
not in a hopeful way, who did not thus fully
discern the world's vanity and the worth of his
soul. But a man is truly in a very desperate
way, who does not wish, who does not try, to
discern and feel all this. I want a man on the
one hand to confess his immortality with his lips,
and on the other, to live as if he tried to under-
stand his own words, and then he is in the way of
salvation ; he is in the way towards heaven, even
though he has not yet fully emancipated himself
from the fetters of this world. Indeed none of
us (of course) are entirely loosened from this
world. We all use words, in speaking of our
duties, higher and fuller than we really under-

II.] THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. 29

stand. No one entirely realizes what is meant by
his having a soul; even the best of men is but in
a state of progress towards the simple truth ; and
the most weak and ignorant of those who seek
after it cannot but be in progress. And therefore
no one need be alarmed at hearing that he has
much to do before he arrives at a right view of his
own condition in God's sight, i. e. at faith; for we
all have much to do, and the great point is, are we
willing to do it ?

Oh that there were such an heart in us, to
put aside this visible world, to desire to look at
it as a mere screen between us and God, and
think of Him who has entered in beyond the veil,
and who is watching us, trying us, yes, and bless-
ing, and influencing, and encouraging us towards
good, day by day ! Yet, alas, how do we suffer
the mere varying circumstances of every day to
sway us ! How difficult it is to remain firm and
in one mind under the seductions or terrors of the
world ! We feel variously according to the place,
time, and people we are with. We are serious on
Sunday, and we sin deliberately on Monday. We
rise in the morning with remorse at our offences
and resolutions of amendment, yet before night
we have transgressed again. The mere change of
society puts us into a new frame of mind ; nor do
we sufficiently understand this great weakness of
ours, or seek for strength where alone it can be
found, in the Unchangeable God. What will be

30 THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL.

our thoughts in that day, when at length this
outward world drops away altogether, and we find
ourselves where we ever have been, in His pre-
sence, with Christ standing at His right hand !

On the contrary, what a blessed discovery is it
to those who make it, that this world is but vanity
and without substance; and that really they are
ever in their Saviour's presence. This is a thought
which it is scarcely right to enlarge upon in a
mixed congregation, where there may be some who
have not given their hearts to God; for why should
the privileges of the true Christian be disclosed to
mankind at large, and sacred subjects, which are
his peculiar treasure, be made common to the care-
less liver ? He knows his blessedness, and needs
not another to tell it him. He knows in whom
he has believed; and in the hour of danger or
trouble he knows what is meant by that peace,
which Christ did not explain when He gave it to
His Apostles, but merely said it was not as the
world could give.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose
mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in
Thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the
Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength'."

* Isaiah xxvi. 3, 4.

SERMON III.

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL WITHOUT OBEDIENCE.

John xiii. 17.
" If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

There never was a people or an age to which
these words could be more suitably addressed
than to this country at this time ; because we
know more of the way to serve God, of our duties,
our privileges, and our reward, than any other
people hitherto, as far as we have the means of
judging. To us then especially our Saviour says,
" If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do
them."

Now, doubtless, many of us think we know
this very well. It seems a very trite thing to say,
that it is nothing to hnmo what is right, unless we
do it; an old subject about which nothing new
can be said. When we read such passages in
Scripture, we pass over them as admitting them
without dispute ; and thus we contrive practically
to forget them. Knowledge is nothing compared'

32 KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL [Sbrm.

with doing; but the knowing that knowledge is
nothing, we make to be something, we make it
count, and thus we cheat ourselves.

This we do in parallel cases also. Many a man
instead of learning humility in practice, confesses
himself a poor sinner, and next prides himself
upon the confession ; he ascribes the glory of his
redemption to God, and then becomes in a manner
proud that he is redeemed. He is proud of his so-
called humility.

Doubtless Christ spoke no words in vain. The
Eternal Wisdom of God did not utter His voice
that we might at once catch up His words in an
irreverent manner, think we understand them at a
glance, and pass them over. But His word en-
dureth for ever ; it has a depth of meaning suited
to all times and places, and hardly and painfully to
be understood in any. They, who think they enter
into it easily, may be quite sure they do not enter
into it at all.

Now then let us try, by His grace, to make the
text a living word to the benefit of our souls.
Our Lord says, " If ye know, happy are ye if ye
do." Let us consider how we commonly read
Scripture.

We read a passage in the Gospels, for instance,
a parable perhaps, or the account of a miracle;
or we read a chapter in the prophets, or a psalm.
Who is not struck with the beauty of what he
reads ? I do not wish to speak of those who read

III.] WITHOUT OBEDIENCE. 33

the Bible only now and then, and who will in
consequence generally find its sacred pages dull
and uninteresting; but of those who study it.
Who of such persons does not see the beauty of
it ? for instance, take the passage which introduces
the text. Christ had been washing His disciples'
feet. He did so at a season of great mental
suffering ; it was just before He was seized by
His enemies to be put to death. The traitor. His
familiar friend, was in the room. All of His
disciples, even the most devoted of them, loved
Him much less than they thought they did. In
a little while they were all to forsake Him and
flee. This He foresaw ; yet He calmly washed
their feet, and then He told them that He did so
by way of an example ; that they should be full
of lowly services one to the other, as He to them ;
that he among them was in fact the highest who
put himself the lowest. This He had said before ;
and His disciples must have recollected it. Per-
haps they might wonder in their secret hearts whi/
He repeated the lesson ; they might say to them-
selves, "We have heard this before." They
might be surprised that His significant action.
His washing their feet, issued in nothing else
than a precept already delivered, the command
to be humble. At the same time they would
not be able to deny, or rather they would deeply
feel, the beauty of His action. Nay, as loving
Him (after all) above all things, and reverencing
VOL. I. D

34 KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL [Sehm.

Him as their Lord and Teacher, they would feel
an admiration and awe of Him ; but their minds
would not rest sufficiently on the practical direc-
tion of the instruction vouchsafed to them. Thev
knew the truth, and they admired it; they did
not observe what it was they lacked. Such may
be considered their frame of mind ; and hence
the force of the text, delivered primarily against
Judas Iscariot, who knew and sinned deliberately
against the truth ; secondarily referring to all the
Apostles, and St. Peter chiefly, who promised to be
faithful, but failed under the trial; lastly, to us
all, — all of us here assembled, who hear the word
of life continually, know it, admire it, do all but
obey it.

Is it not so ? is not Scripture altogether pleasant
except in its strictness ? do not we try to persuade
ourselves, that to feel religiously, to confess our
love of religion, and to be able to talk of religion,
will stand in the place of careful obedience, of that
self-denial which is the very substance of true prac-
tical religion ? Alas ! that religion which is so
delightful as a vision, should be so distasteful as a
reality. Yet so it is, whether we are aware of the
fact or not.

1. The multitude of persons even who profess
religion are in this state of mind. We will take
the case of those who are in better circumstances
than the mass of the community. They are well
educated and taught ; they have few distresses

III.] WITHOUT OBEDIENCE. S5

in life, or are able to get over them by the variety
of their occupations, by the spirits which attend
good health, or at least by the lapse of time.
They go on respectably and happily, with the
same general tastes and habits which they would
have had if the Gospel had not been given them.
They have an eye to what the world thinks of
them ; are charitable when it is expected. They
are polished in their manners, kind from natural
disposition or a feeling of propriety. Thus their
religion is based upon self and the world, a mere
civilization ; the same (I say) as it would have
been in the main, (taking the state of society
as they find it,) even supposing Christianity
were not the religicm of the land. But it is;
and let us go on to ask, how do they in conse-
quence feel towards it ? They accept it, they add
it to what they are, they ingraft it upon the selfish
and worldly habits of an unrenewed heart. They
have been taught to revere it, and to believe it to
come from God; so they admire it, and accept
it as a rule of life, so far forth as it agrees with
the carnal principles which govern them. So far
as it does not agree, they are blind to its excel-
lence and its claims. They overlook or explain
away its precepts. They in no sense obey be-
cause it commands. They do right where they
would have done right had it not commanded;
however, they speak well of it, and think they
understand it. Sometimes, if I may continue

d2

36 KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL [Serm.

the description, they adopt it into a certain re-
fined elegance of sentiments and manners, and
then their religion is all that is graceful, fasti-
dious, and luxurious. They love religious poetry
and eloquent preaching. They desire to have
their feelings roused and soothed, and to secure a
variety and relief of that eternal subject which
is unchangeable. They tire of its simplicity, and
perhaps seek to keep up their interest in it by
means of religious narratives, fictitious or embel-
lished, or of news from foreign countries, or of the
history of the prospects or successes of the Gospel ;
thus perverting what is in itself good and inno-
cent. This is their state of mind at best; for
more commonly they think it enough merely to
show some slight regard to the subject of religion ;
to attend its services on the Lord's day, and then
only once, and coldly to express an approbation
of it. But of course every description of such
persons can be but general ; for the shades of
character are so varied and blended in individuals,
as to make it impossible to give an accurate pic-
ture, and often very estimable persons and truly
good Christians are partly infected with this bad
and earthly spirit.

2. Take again another description of them.
They have perhaps turned their attention to the
means of promoting the happiness of their fellow-
creatures, and have formed a system of morality
and religion of their own ; then they come to

III.] WITHOUT OBEDIENCE. 37

Scripture. They are much struck with the high
tone of its precepts, and the beauty of its teach-
ing. It is true, they find many things in it which
they do not understand or do not approve ; many
things they would not have said themselves. But
they pass these by ; they fancy that these do not
apply to the present day, (which is an easy way of
removing any thing we do not like,) and on the
whole they receive the Bible, and they think it
highly serviceable for the lower classes. There-
fore, they recommend it, and support the institu-
tions which are the channels of teaching it. But
as to their own case, it never comes into their
minds to apply its precepts seriously to themselves ;
they know them already, they consider. They
know them and that is enough ; but as for doing
them, by which I mean, going forward to obey
them with an unaffected earnestness and an honest
faith acting upon them, receiving them as they
are, and not as their own previously formed
opinions would have them be, they have nothing
of this right spirit. They do not contemplate
such a mode of acting. To recommend and affect
a moral and decent conduct, (on whatever prin-
ciples,) seems to them to be enough. The spread
of knowledge bringing in its train a selfish tem-
perance, a selfish peaceableness, a selfish bene-
volence, the morality of expedience, this satisfies
them. They care for none of the truths of
Scripture, on the ground of their being in Scrip-

38 KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL [Sehm.

ture; these scarcely become more valuable in
their eyes for being there written. They do not
obey because they are told to obey, on faith ; and
the need of this divine principle of conduct they
do not comprehend. Why will it not answer (they
seem to say,) to make men good in one way as
well as another? "Abana and Pharpar, rivers of
Damascus, are they not better than all the waters
of Israel ?" as if all the knowledge and the training
that books ever gave had power to unloose one
sinner from the bonds of Satan, or to effect more
than an outward reformation, an appearance of
obedience; as if it were not a far different prin-
ciple, a principle independent of knowledge, above
it and before it, which leads to real obedience, that
principle of divine faith, given from above, which
has life in itself, and has power really to use know-
ledge to the soul's welfare ; in the hand of which
knowledge is (as it were) the torch lighting us on
our way, but not teaching or strengthening us to
walk.

3. Or take another view of the subject. Is it
not one of the most common excuses made by
the poor for being irreligious, that they have had
no education ? as if to know much was a neces-
sary step for right practice. Again, they are apt
to think it enough to know and to talk of religion,
to make a man religious. Why have you come
hither to-day, my brethren? — not as a matter of
course, I will hope; not merely because friends or

III.] WITHOUT OBEDIENCE. 39

superiors told you to come. I will suppose you
have come to church as a religious act ; but beware
of supposing that all is done and over by the act of
coming. It is not enough to be present here ;
though many men act as if they forgot they must
attend to what is going on, as well as come. It is
not enough to listen to what is preached ; though
many think they have gone a great way when
they do this. You must pray ; now this is very
hard in itself to any one who tries (and this is
the reason why so many men prefer the sermon to
the prayers, because the former is merely the
getting knowledge, and the latter is to do a deed of
obedience) : you must prai/ ; and this I say is very
difficult, because our thoughts are so apt to wander.
But even this is not all ; — you must, as you
pray, really intend to tri/ to practise what you
pray for. When you say, " Lead us not into
temptation," you must in good earnest mean to
avoid in your daily conduct those temptations
which you have already suffered from. When
you say, " Deliver us from evil," you must mean to
struggle against that evil in your hearts, which
you are conscious of, and which you pray to be
forgiven. This is difficult ; still more is behind.
You must actually carry your good intentions
into effect during the week, and in truth and reality
war against the world, the flesh, and the devil.
And any one here present who falls short of this,
that is, who thinks it enough to come to church to

40 KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL [Sekm.

learn God's will, but does not bear in mind to do it
in his daily conduct, be he high or be he low,
know he mysteries and all knowledge, or be he
unlettered and busily occupied in active life, he is
a fool in His sight, who maketh the wisdom of
this world foolishness. Surely he is but a trifler,
as substituting a formal outward service for the
religion of the heart ; and he reverses our Lord's
words in the text, " because he knows these
things, most unhappy is he, because he does them
not."

But some one may say, " It is so very difficult to
serve God, it is so much against my own mind,
such an effort, such a strain upon my strength
to bear Christ's yoke, I must give it over, or I must
delay it at least. Can nothing be taken instead ? I
acknowledge His law to be most holy and true, and
the accounts I read about good men are most
delightful. I wish I were like them with all my
heart ; and for a little while I feel in a mind
to set about imitating them. I have begun several
times, I have had seasons of repentance, and set
rules to myself; but for some reason or other I
fell back after a while, and was even worse than
before. I know, but I cannot do. O wretched
man that I am ! "

Now to such an one I say, You are in a much
more promising state than if you were contented
■with yourself, and thought that knowledge was
every thing, which is the grievous blindness which

III.] WITHOUT OBEDIENCE. 41

I have hitherto been speaking of; that is, you are
in a better state, if you do not feel too much
comfort or confidence in your confession. For
this is the fault of many men ; they make such an
acknowledgment as I have described a substitute
for real repentance ; or allow themselves, after
making it, to put off repentance, as if they could
be suffered to give a word of promise which did
not become due (so to say) for many days. You
are, I admit, in a better state than if you were
satisfied with yourself, but you are not in a safe
state. If you were now to die, you would have no
hope of salvation : no hope, that is, if your own
showing be true, for I am taking your own words-
Go before God's judgment-seat, and there plead
that you know the Truth and have not done it.
This is what you frankly own ; — how will it there
be taken ? " Out of thine own mouth will I
judge thee," says our Judge Himself, and who shall
reverse His judgment? Therefore such an one
must make the confession with great and real
terror and shame, if it is to be considered a pro-
mising sign in him ; else it is mere hardness of
heart. For instance : I have heard persons say
lightly, (every one must have heard them,) that
they own it would be a wretched thing indeed for
them or their companions to be taken off suddenly.
The young are especially apt to say this ; that is,
before they have come to an age to be callous, or
have formed excuses to overcome the natural true

42 KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL [Serm.

sense of their conscience. They say they hope
some day to repent. This is their own witness
against themselves, like that bad prophet at Bethel
who was constrained with his own mouth to utter
God's judgments while he sat at his sinful meat.
But let not such an one think that he will re-
ceive any thing of the Lord : he does not speak
in faith.

When, then, a man complains of his hardness
of heart or weakness of purpose, let him see to it
whether this complaint is more than a mere pre-
tence to quiet his conscience, which is frightened
at his putting off repentance ; or, again, more than
a mere idle word, said half in jest and half in
compunction. But, should he be earnest in his
complaint, then let him consider he has no need
to complain. Every thing is plain and easy to
the earnest ; it is the double-minded who find
difficulties. If you hate your own corruption in
sincerity and truth, if you are really pierced to
the heart that you do not do what you know you
should do, if you would love God if you could, then
the Gospel speaks to you words of peace and
hope. It is a very different thing indolently to
say, "I would I were a different man," and to
close with God's offer to make you different when
it is put before you. Here is the test between
earnestness and insincerity. You say you wish
to be a different man ; Christ takes you at your
word, so to speak ; He offers to make you different.

III.] WITHOUT OBEDIENCE. 43

He says, " I will take away from you the heart of
stone, the love of this world and its pleasures,
if you will submit to my discipline." Here a
man draws back. No ; he cannot bear to lose
the love of the world, to part with his present
desires and tastes ; he cannot consent to be
changed. After all he is well satisfied at the
bottom of his heart to remain as he is, only he
wants his conscience taken out of the way. Did
Christ offer to do this for him, if He would but
make bitter sweet and sweet bitter, darkness light
and light darkness, then he would hail the glad
tidings of peace ; — till then he needs Him not.

But if a man is in earnest in wishing to get at
the depths of his own heart, to expel the evil, to
purify the good, and to gain power over himself,
so as to do as well as know the Truth, what is the
difficulty ? — a matter of time indeed, but not of
uncertainty is the recovery of such a man. So
simple is the rule which he must follow, and so
trite, that at first he will be surprised to hear it.
God does great things by plain methods: and
men start from them through pride, because they
are plain. This was the conduct of Naaman the
Syrian. Christ says, " Watch and pray ;" herein
lies our cure. To watch and to pray are surely in
our power, and by these means we are certain
of getting strength. You feel your weakness ;
you fear to be overcome by temptation : then
keep out of the way of it. This is watching.

44 KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL [Serm.

Avoid society which is likely to mislead you;
flee from the very shadow of evil ; you cannot be
too careful; better be a little too strict than a
little too easy, — it is the safer side. Abstain from
reading books which are dangerous to you. Turn
from bad thoughts when they arise, set about
some business, begin conversing with some friend,
or say to yourself the Lord's prayer reverently.
When you are urged by temptation, whether it
be by the threats of the world, false shame, self-
interest, provoking conduct on the part of another,
or the world's sinful pleasures, urged to be cowardly,
or covetous, or unforgiving, or sensual, shut your
eyes and think of Christ's precious blood-shedding.
Do not dare to say you cannot help sinning ;
a little attention to these points will go far
(through God's grace) to keep you in the right
way. And again, pray as well as watch. You
must know that you can do nothing of yourself;
your past experience has taught you this; there-
fore look to God for the will and the power ;
ask Him earnestly in His Son's name ; seek His
holy ordinances. Is not this in your power?
Have you not power at least over the limbs of
your body, so as to attend the means of grace
constantly ? Have you literally not the power
to come hither ; to observe the Fasts and Festivals
of the Church ; to come to His Holy Altar and
receive the Bread of Life? Get yourself, at
least, to do this ; to put out the hand, to take

III.] WITHOUT OBEDIENCE. 45

His gracious Body and Blood ; this is no arduous
work ; — and you say you really wish to gain
the blessings He offers. What would you have
more than a free gift, vouchsafed " without money
and without price?" So, make no more excuses;
murmur not about your own bad heart, your
knowing and resolving, and not doing. Here is
your remedy.

Well were it if men could be persuaded to be
in earnest ; but few are thus minded. The many
go on with a double aim, trying to serve both God
and mammon. Few can get themselves to do
what is right, because God tells them ; they have
another aim; they desire to please self or men.
When they can obey God without offending the
bad Master that rules them, then, and then only,
they obey. Thus religion, instead of being the
first thing in their estimation, is but the second.
They differ, indeed, one from another what to put
foremost : one man loves to be at ease, another to
be busy, another to enjoy domestic comfort : but
they agree in converting the truth of God, which
they know to be Truth, into a mere instrument
of secular aims ; not discarding the Truth, but
degrading it.

When He, the Lord of hosts, comes to shake
terribly the earth, what number will He find of
the remnant of the true Israel? We live in an
educated age. The false gloss of a mere worldly
refinement makes us decent and amiable. We

46 KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WILL, &c.

all know and profess. We think ourselves wise ;
we flatter each other ; we make excuses for our-
selves when we are conscious we sin, and thus
we gradually lose the consciousness that we are
sinning. We think our own times superior to all
others. " Thou blind Pharisee !" This was the
fatal charge brought by our blessed Lord against
the falsely enlightened teachers of his own day.
As then we desire to enter into life, let us come
to Christ continually for the two foundations of
true Christian faith, — humbleness of mind and
earnestness !

SERMON IV,

SECRET FAULTS.

Psalm xix. 12.

" Who can understand his errors ? Cleanse Thou me from
secret faults."

Strange as it may seem, multitudes called Christian
go through life with no eifort to obtain a correct
knowledge of themselves. They are contented with
general and vague impressions concerning their real
state ; and if they have more than this, it is merely
such accidental information about themselves as the
events of life force upon them. But exact sys-
tematic knowledge they have none, and do not aim
at it.

When I say this is strange, I do not mean to
imply that to know ourselves is easy ; it is very
difficult to know ourselves even in part, and so
far ignorance of ourselves is not a strange thing.
But its strangeness consists in this, viz., that men
should profess to receive and act upon the great
Christian doctrines, while they are thus ignorant
of_themselves, considering that self-knowledge is

4S SECRET FAULTS. [Seem.

a necessary condition for understanding them.
Thus it is not too much to say, that all those who
neglect the duty of habitual self-examination are
using words without meaning. The doctrines of the
forgiveness of sins, and a new birth from sin, cannot
be understood without some right knowledge of
the nature of sin, that is, of our own heart. We
may, indeed, assent to a form of words which
declares those doctrines ; but if such a mere assent,
however sincere, is the same as a real holding
of them, and belief in them, then it is equally
possible to believe in a proposition the terms of
which belong to some foreign language, which
is obviously absurd. Yet nothing is more common
than for men to think that because they are
familiar with words, they understand the ideas
they stand for. Educated persons despise this fault
in illiterate men, who use hard words as if they com-
prehended them. Yet they themselves, as well as
others, fall into the same error in a more subtle
form, when they think they understand terms
used in morals and religion, because such are
common words, and have been used by them all
their lives.

Now (I repeat) unless we have some just idea of
our hearts and of sin, we can have no right idea
of a Moral Governor, a Saviour or a Sanctifier,
that is, in professing to believe in Them, we
shall be using words without attaching distinct
meaning to them. Thus self-knowledge is at the

IV.] SECRET FAULTS. 49

root of all real religious knowledge; and it is in
vain, — worse than vain, it is a deceit and a mis-
chief, to think to understand the Christian doc-
trines as a matter of course, merely by being
taught by books, or by attending sermons, or
by^ny outward means« however excellent, taken
by themselves. For it is in proportion as we
search our hearts and understand our own nature,
that we understand what is meant by an Infinite
Governor and Judge ; in proportion as we compre-
hend the nature of disobedience and our actual
sinfulness, that we feel what is the blessing of
the removal of sin, redemption, pardon, sanctifi-
cation, which otherwise are mere words. God
speaks to us primarily^ in our hearts. Self-know-
ledge is the key to the precepts and doctrines
of Scripture. The very utmost any outward notices
of religion can do, is to startle us and make us
turn inward and search our hearts ; and then, when
we have experienced what it is to read ourselves,
we shall profit by the doctrines of the Church and
the Bible.

Of course self-knowledge admits of degrees.
No one, perhaps, is entirely ignorant of himself:
and even the most advanced Christian knows
himself only " in part." However, most men
are contented with a slight acquaintance with
their hearts, and therefore a superficial faith.
This is the point which it is my purpose to insist
upon. Men are satisfied to have numberless

VOL. L E

50 SECRET FAULTS. [Seem.

secret faults. They do not think about them,
either as sins or as obstacles to strength of faith,
and live on as if they had nothing to learn.

Now let us consider attentively the §trong_£re-
sumption that exists, that we all have serious
secret faults ; a fact which, I believe, all are ready
to confess in general terms, though few like calmly
and practically to dwell upon it ; as I now wish to
do.

1. Now the most ready method of convincing
ourselves of the existence in us of faults unknown
to ourselves, is to consider how plainly we see the
secret faults of others. At first sight there is of
course no reason for supposing that we differ
materially from those around us ; and if we see
sins in them which they do not see, it is a presump-
tion that they have their own discoveries about
ourselves, which it would surprise us to hear.
For instance : how apt is an angry man to fancy
that he has the command of himself! The very
charge of being angry, if brought against him,
will anger him more ; and, in the height of his
discomposure, he will profess himself able to
reason and judge with clearness and impartiality.
Now, it may be his turn another day, for what
we know, to witness the same failing in us ; or, if
we are not naturally inclined to violent passion,
still at least we may be subject to other sins, equally
unknown to ourselves, and equally known to him
as his anger was to us. For example : there are

IV.] SECRET FAULTS. 51

persons who act mainly from self-interest at times
when they conceive they are doing generous or
virtuous actions ; they give freely, or put them-
selves to trouble, and are praised by the world, and
by themselves, as if acting on high principle;
whereas close observers can detect desire of gain,
love of applause, shame, or the mere satisfaction of
being busy and active, as the principal cause of their
good deeds. This may be our condition as well as
that of others ; or, if it be not, still a similar in-
firmity, the bondage of some other sin or sins, which
others see, and we do not.

But, say there is no human being sees sin in us,
of which we are not aware ourselves, (though this
is a bold supposition to make,) yet why should
man's accidental knowledge of us limit the extent
of our imperfections ? Should all the world speak
well of us, and good men hail us as brothers,
after all there is a Judge who trieth the hearts
and the reins. He knows our real state; have
we__earnestly besought Him to teach us the
knowledge of our own hearts? If we have not,
that very omission is a presumption against us.
Though our praise were throughout the Church, we
may be sure He sees sins without number in
us, sins deep and heinous, of which we have no
idea. If man sees so much evil in human nature,
what must God see ? " If our heart condemn us,
God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all
things." Not acts alone of sin does He set down

e2

52 SECRET FAULTS. [Serm.

against us daily, of which we know nothing, but the
thoughts of the heart too. The stirrings of pride,
vanity, covetousness, impurity, discontent, resent-
ment, these succeed each other through the day in
momentary emotions, and are known to Him. We
know them not ; but how much does it concern us
to know them !

2. This consideration is suggested by the first
view of the subject. Now reflect upon the actual
disclosures of our hidden weakness, which acci-
dents occasion. Peter followed Christ boldly, and
suspected not his own heart, till it betrayed him in
the hour of temptation, and led him to deny his
Lord. David lived years of happy obedience
while he was in private life. What calm, clear-
sighted faith is manifested in his answer to Saul
about Goliath : — " The Lord that delivered me
out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of
the bear. He will deliver me out of the hand of
this Philistine'." Nay, not only in retired life,
in severe trial, under ill usage from Saul, he
continued faithful to his God; years and years
did he go on, fortifying his heart, and learning
the fear of the Lord ; yet power and wealth weak-
ened his faith, and for a season overcame him.
There was a time when a prophet could retort
upon him, " Thou art the man ^ " whom thou
condemnest. He had kept his principles in

' 1 Sam. xvii. 37. ' 2 Sam. xii. 7.

IV.] SECRET FAULTS. 53

words, but lost them in his heart. Hezekiah is
another instance of a religious man bearing
trovhle well, but for a season falling back under
the temptation of prosperity ; and that, after
extraordinary mercies had been vouchsafed to
him ^ And if these things be so in the case
of the favoured saints of God, what (may we sup-
pose) is our own real spiritual state in His sight ?
It is a serious thought. The warning to be
deduced from it is this : — ^Never to think we have
a due knowledge of ourselves till we have been
exposed to various kinds of temptations, and tried
on every side. Integrity on one side of our cha-
racter is no voucher for integrity on another.
We cannot tell how we should act if brought
under temptations different from those which we
have hitherto experienced. This thought should
keep us humble. We are sinners, but we do not
know how great. He alone knows who died for
our sins.

3. Thus much we cannot but allow ; that we do
not know ourselves in those respects in which we
have not been tried. But farther than this ;
What if we do not know ourselves even where
we have been tried, and found faithful? It is a
remarkable circumstance which has been often
observed, that if we look to some of the most
eminent saints of Scripture, we shall find their

' 2 Kings XX. 12—19.

54 SECRET FAULTS. [Serm.

recorded errors to have occurred in those parts of
their duty in which each had had most trial, and
generally showed obedience most perfect. Faithful
Abraham through want of faith denied his wife.
Moses, the meekest of men, was excluded from
the land of promise for a passionate word. The
wisdom of Solomon was seduced to bow down to
idols. Barnabas, again, the son of consolation^
had a sharp contention with St. Paul. If then
men, who knew themselves better than we doubt-
less know ourselves, had so much of hidden in-
firmity about them, even in those parts of their
character which were most free from blame, what
are we to think of ourselves ? and if our very
virtues be so defiled with imperfection, what must
be the unknown multiplied circumstances of evil
which aggravate the guilt of our sins ? This is a
third presumption against us.

4. Think of this too. No one begins to examine
himself, and to pray to know himself, (with
David in the text,) but he finds within him an
abundance of faults which before were either
entirely or almost entirely unknown to him.
That this is so, we learn from the written lives of
good men, and our own experience of others. And
hence it is that the best men are ever the most
humble ; for, having a higher standard of excel-
lence in their minds than others have, and know-
ing themselves better, they see somewhat of the
breadth and depth of their own sinful nature, and

IV.] SECRET FAULTS. 55

are shocked and frightened at themselves. The
generality of men cannot understand this ; and if
at times the habitual self-condemnation of religious
men breaks out into words, they think it arises
from affectation, or from a strange distempered
state of mind, or from accidental melancholy and
disquiet. Whereas the confession of a good man
against himself, is really a witness against all
thoughtless persons who hear it, and a call on
them to examine their own hearts. Doubtless the
more we examine ourselves, the more imperfect
and ignorant we shall find ourselves to be.

5. But let a man persevere in prayer and watch-
fulness to the day of his death, yet he will never
get to the bottom of his heart. Though he know
more and more of himself as he becomes more
conscientious and earnest, still the full manifesta-
tion of the secrets there lodged, is reserved for
another world. And at the last day who can
tell the affright and horror of a man who lived
to himself on earth, indulging his own evil will,
following his own chance notions of truth and
falsehood, shunning the cross and the reproach of
Christ, when his eyes are at length opened before
the throne of God, and all his innumerable sins,
his habitual neglect of God, his abuse of his
talents, his misapplication and waste of time, and
the original unexplored sinfulness of his nature,
are brought clearly and fiilly to his view? Nay,
even to the true servants of Christ, the prospect is

56 SECRET FAULTS. [Serm.

awful. " The righteous," we are told, " will scarcely
be saved '." Then will the good man undergo
the full sight of his sins, which on earth he
was labouring to obtain, and partly succeeded
in obtaining, though life was not long enough to
learn and subdue them all. Doubtless we must
all endure that fierce and terrifying vision of our
real selves, that last fiery trial of the soul ^ before
its acceptance, a spiritual agony and second
death to all who are not then supported by the
strength of Him who died to bring them safe
through it, and in whom on earth they have
believed.

My brethren, I appeal to your reason whether
these presumptions are not in their substance fair
and just. And if so, next I appeal to your con-
sciences, whether they are new to you ; for if you
have not even thought about your real state, nor
even know how little you know of yourselves,
how can you in good earnest be purifying your-
selves for the next world, or be walking in the
narrow way.

And yet how many are the chances that a
number of those who now hear me have no suffi-
cient knowledge of themselves, or sense of their
ignorance, and are in peril of their souls ! Christ's
ministers cannot tell who are, and who are not,

> 1 Pet. iv. 18. * 1 Cor. iii. 13.

IV.] SECRET FAULTS. 57

the true elect : but when the difficulties in the way
of knowing yourselves aright are considered, it
becomes a most serious and immediate question for
each of you to entertain, whether or not he is living
a life of self-deceit, and thinking far more com-
fortably of his spiritual state than he has any right
to do. For call to mind the impediments that are
in the way of your knowing yourselves, or feeling
your ignorance, and then judge.

1. First of all, self-knowledge does not come as
a matter of course ; it implies an effort and a work.
As well may we suppose, that the knowledge of
the languages comes by nature, as that acquaintance
with our own heart is natural. Now the very
effort of steadily reflecting, is itself painful to
many men ; not to speak of the difficulty of reflect-
ing correctly. To ask ourselves why we do this or
that, to take account of the principles which govern
us, and see whether we act for conscience' sake or
from some lower inducement, is painful. We are
busy_in the worlds and what leisure time we have
we readily devote to a less severe and wearisome
employment.

2. And then comes in our self-love. We li(ype
the best ; this saves us the trouble of examining.
Self-love answers for our safety. We think it
sufficient caution to allow for certain possible un-
known faults at the utmost, and to take them
into the reckoning when we balance our account
with our conscience : whereas, if the truth were

58 SECRET FAULTS. [Serm.

known to us, we should find we had nothing but
debts, and those greater than we can conceive, and
ever increasing.

3. And this favourable judgment of ourselves
will especially prevail, if we have the misfortune
to have uninterrupted health and high spirits,
and domestic comfort. Health of body and mind
is a great blessing, if we can bear it ; but unless
chastened by watchings and fastings \ it will
commonly seduce a man into the notion that he is
nmch better than he really is. Resistance to our
acting rightly, whether it proceed from within or
without, tries our principle ; but when things go
smoothly, and we have but to wish, and we can
perform, we cannot tell how far we do or do not
act from a sense of duty. When a man's spirits
are high, he is pleased with every thing ; and with
himself especially. He can act with vigour and
promptness, and he mistakes this mere constitu-
tional energy for strength of faith. He is cheer-
ful and contented ; and he mistakes this for
Christian peace. And, if happy in his family,
he mistakes mere natural affection for Christian
benevolence, and the confirmed temper of Chris-
tian love. In short, he is in a dream, from which
nothing could have saved him except deep humility,
and nothing will ordinarily rescue him except sharp
affliction.

2 Cor. xi. 27.

IV.] SECRET FAULTS. 59

Other accidental circumstances are frequently
causes of a similar self-deceit. While we remain
in retirement from the world, we do not know
ourselves; .or after any great mercy or trial, which
has affected us much, and given a temporary strong
impulse to our obedience; or when we are in
keen pursuit of some good object, which excites
the mind, and for a time deadens it to temptation.
Under such circumstances we are ready to think
far too well of ourselves. The world is away;
or, at least, we are insensible to its seductions;
and we mistake our merely temporary tranquillity,
or our over-wrought fervour of mind, on the one
hand for Christian peace, on the other for Christian
zeal.

4. Next we must consider the force of habit.
Conscience at first warns us against sin ; but if
we disregard it, it soon ceases to upbraid us ; and
thus sins, once known, in time become secret
sins. It seems then, (and it is a startling reflec-
tion,) that the more ^uiJiy.,jEe^ a^^^ the less we
know it; for the oftener we sin, the less we are
distressed at it. I think many of us may, on
reflection, recollect instances, in our experience
of ourselves, of our gradually forgetting things to
be wrong which once shocked us. Such is the
force of habit. By it (for instance) men contrive
to allow themselves in various kinds of dishonesty.
They bring themselves to affirm what is untrue,
or what they are not sure is true, in the course of

60 SECRET FAULTS. [Sebm.

business. They overreach and cheat; and still
more are they likely to fall into low and selfish
ways without their observing it, and all the while
to continue careful in their attendance on the
Christian ordinances, and bear about them a form
of religion. Or, again, they will live in self-indul-
gent habits ; eat and drink more than is right ;
display a needless pomp and splendour in their
domestic arrangements, without any misgiving;
much less do they think of simplicity of manners
and abstinence as Christian duties. Now we can-
not suppose they always thought their present
mode of living to be justifiable, for otJiers are still
struck with its impropriety ; and what others now
feel, doubtless they once felt themselves. But
such is the force of habit. So again, to take as a
third instance, the duty of stated private prayer ; at

1 first it is omitted with compunction, but soon
with indifference. But it is not the less a sin
because we do not feel it to be such. Habit has
. made it a secret sin.

5. To the force of habit must be added that of
custom. Every age has its own wrong ways ; and
these have such influence, that even good men,
from living in the world, are unconsciously misled
by them. At one time a fierce persecuting hatred
of those who erred in Christian doctrine has
prevailed; at another, an odious over-estimation
of wealth and the means of wealth: at another
an irreligious veneration of the mere intellectual

IV.] SECRET FAULTS. 61

powers ; at another, a laxity of morals ; at another,
disregard of the forms and discipline of the
Church. The most religious men, unless they
are especially watchful, will feel the sway of the
fashion of their age ; and suffer from it, as Lot in
wicked Sodom, though unconsciously. Yet their
ignorance of the mischief does not change the
nature of their sin ; — sin it still is, only custom
makes it secret sin.

6. Now what is our chief guide amid the evil
and seducing customs of the world? — obviously,
the Bible. "The world passeth away, but the
word of the Lord endureth for ever^" How
much extended, then, and strengthened, necessarily
must be this secret dominion of sin over us, when
we consider how little we read Scripture ! Our
conscience gets corrupted, — true ; but the words
of truth, though effaced from our minds, remain iu
Scripture, bright in their eternal youth and purity.
Yet, we do not study Scripture to stir up and
refresh our minds. Ask yourselves, my brethren,
what do you know of the Bible ? Is there any one
part of it you have read carefully, and as a whole?
One of the Gospels, for instance ? Do you know
very much more of your Saviour's works and words
than you have heard read in church ? Have you
compared His precepts, or St. Paul's, or any other
Apostle's, with your own daily conduct, and prayed

' Isaiah xl. 8. 1 Pet. i. 24, 25. 1 John ii. 17.

62 SECRET FAULTS. [Seem.

and endeavoured to act upon them ? If you have,
so far is well ; go on to do so. If you have not,
it is plain you do not possess, for you have not
sought to possess, an adequate notion of that
perfect Christian character which it is your duty
to aim at, nor an adequate notion of your actual
sinful state ; you are in the number of those who
" come not to the light, lest their deeds should be
reproved."

These remarks may serve to impress upon us
the difficulty of knowing ourselves aright, and
the consequent danger to which we are exposed,
of speaking peace to our souls, when there is no
peace.

Many things are against us ; this is plain. Yet
is not our future prize worth a struggle? Is it
not worth present discomfort and pain to accom-
plish an escape from the fire that never shall be
quenched? Can we endure the thought of going
down to the grave with a load of sins on our head
unknown and unrepented of? Can we content
ourselves with such an unreal faith in Christ, as
in no sufficient measure includes self-abasement,
or thankfulness, or the desire or effi^rt to be holy ?
for how can we feel our need of His help, or our
dependence on Him, or our debt to Him, or the
nature of His gift to us, unless we know ourselves?
How can we in any sense be said to have that
" mind of Christ," to which the Apostle exhorts

\

IV.] SECRET FAULTS. 63

US, if we cannot follow Him to the height above,
or the depth beneath ; if we do not in some mea-
sure discern the cause and meaning of His sorrows,
but regard the world, and man, and the system of
Providence, in a light diiFerent from that which
His words and acts supply ? If you receive re-
vealed truth merely through the eyes and ears,
you believe words, not things ; you deceive your-
selves. You may conceive yourselves sound in
faith, but you know nothing in any true way.
Obedience to God's commandments, which im-
plies knowledge of sin and of holiness, and the
desire and endeavour to please Him, this is the
only practical interpreter of Scripture doctrine.
Without self-knowledge you have no root in your-
selves personally; you may endure for a time,
but under affliction or persecution your faith will
not last. This is why many in this age (and in
every age) become infidels, heretics, schismatics,
disloyal despisers of the Church. They cast off
the form of truth, because it never has been to
them more than a form. They endure not, because
they never have tasted that the Lord is gracious ;
and they never have had experience of his power
and love, because they have never known their
own weakness and need. This may be the future
condition of some of us, if we harden our hearts
to-day, — apostasy. Some day, even in this world,
we may be found openly among the enemies of
God and His Church.

64 SECRET FAULTS.

But, even should we be spared this present
shame, what will it ultimately profit a man to
profess without understanding? to say he has faith,
when he has not works'? In that case we shall
remain in the heavenly vineyard, stunted plants,
without the principle of growth in us, barren ;
and, in the end, we shall be put to shame before
Christ and the holy Angels, " as trees of withering
fruits, twice dead, plucked up by the roots," even
though we die in outward communion with the
Church.

To think of these things, and to be alarmed, is
the first step towards acceptable obedience ; to be
at ease, is to be unsafe. We must know what the
evil of sin is, hereafter, if we do not learn it here.
God give us all grace to choose the pain of present
repentance before the wrath to come !

* James ii. 14.

SERMON V.

SELF-DENIAL THE TEST OF RELIGIOUS EARNESTNESS.

Romans xiii. 11.
" Now it is high time to awake out of sleep."

By "sleep," in this passage, St. Paul means a
state of insensibility to things as they really are
in God's sight. When we are asleep, we are
absent from this world's action, as if we were no
longer concerned in it. It goes on without us,
or, if our rest be broken, and we have some slight
notion of people and occurrences about us, if we
hear a voice or a sentence, and see a face, yet we
are unable to catch these external objects justly
and truly; we make them part of our dreams,
and pervert them till they have scarcely a resem-
blance to what they really are ; and such is the
state of men as regards religious truth. God is
ever Almighty and All-knowing. He is on His
throne in heaven, trying the reins and the hearts ;
and Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, is on His
right hand ; and ten thousand Angels and Saints

VOL. I. F

66 SELF-DENIAL THE TEST OF [Sbrm.

are ministering to Him, rapt in the contemplation
of Him, or by their errands of mercy connecting
this lower world with His courts above ; they go
to and fro, as though upon the ladder which Jacob
saw. And the disclosure of this glorious invisible
world is made to us principally by means of the
Bible, partly by the course of nature, partly by
the floating opinions of mankind, partly by the
suggestions of the heart and conscience ; — and all
these means of information concerning it are col-
lected and combined by the Holy Church, which
heralds the news forth to the whole earth, and
applies it with power to individual minds, partly
by direct instruction, partly by her very form and
fashion, which witnesses to them ; so that the
truths of religion circulate through the world
almost as the light of day, every corner and
recess having some portion of its blessed rays.
Such is the state of a Christian country. Mean-
while, how is it with those who dwell in it ? The
words of the text remind us of their condition.
They are asleep. While the Ministers of Christ
are using the armour of light, and all things speak
of Him, they " walk " not " becomingly, as in the
day." Many live altogether as though the day
shone not on them, but the shadows still endured ;
and far the greater part of them are but very faintl}'
sensible of the great truths preached around them.
They see and hear as people in a dream ; they
mix up the Holy Word of God with their own

v.] RELIGIOUS EARNESTNESS. 67

idle imaginings; if startled for a moment, yet
they soon relapse into slumber ; they refuse to be
awakened, and think their happiness consists in
continuing as they are.

Now I do not for an instant suspect, my bre-
thren, that you are in the sound slumber of sin.
This is a miserable state, which I should hope
was, on the whole, the condition of few men, at
least in a place like this. But, allowing this, yet
there is great reason for fearing that very many
of you are not wide awake : that though your
dreams are disturbed, yet dreams they are; and
that the view of religion which you think to be a
true one, is not that vision of the Truth which
you would see were your eyes open, but such a
vague, defective, extravagant "picture of it as a
man sees when he is asleep. At all events, how-
ever this may be, it will be useful (please God)
if you ask yourselves, one by one, the question,
" How do I know I am in the right way ? How do
I know that I have real faith, and am not in a
dream ?"

The circumstances of these times render it very
difficult to answer this question. When the
world was against Christianity it was compara-
tively easy. But (in one sense) the world is now
Jbr it. I do not mean there are not turbulent
lawless men, who would bring all things into
confusion, if they could ; who hate religion, and
would overturn every established institution which

f2

68 SELF-DENIAL THE TEST OF [Serm.

proceeds from, or is connected with it. Doubtless
there are very many such, but from such men
religion has nothing to fear. The truth has ever
flourished and strengthened under persecution.
But what we have to fear is the opposite fact,
that all the rank, and the station, and the intelli-
gence, and the opulence of the country is pro-
fessedly with religion. We have cause to fear
from the very circumstance that the institu-
tions of the country are based upon the acknow-
ledgment of religion as true. Worthy of all
honour are they who so based them ! Miserable
is the guilt which lies upon those who have at-
tempted, and partly succeeded, in shaking that
holy foundation ! But it often happens that our
most bitter are not our most dangerous enemies;
on the other hand, greatest blessings are the
most serious temptations to the unwary. And
our danger, at present, is this, that a man's hav-
ing a general character for religion, reverencing
the Gospel and professing it, and to a certain point
obeying it, so fully promotes his temporal interests,
that it is difficult for him to make out for him-
self whether he really acts on faith, or from a
desire of this world's advantages. It is difficult
to find tests which may bring home the truth to
his mind, and probe his heart after the manner of
Him who, from His throne above, tries it with an
Almighty Wisdom. It can scarcely be denied
that attention to our religious duties is becoming

v.] RELIGIOUS EARNESTNESS. 69

a fashion among large portions of the community,
— so large, that, to many individuals, these portions
are in fact the world. We are, every now and then,
surprised to find persons to be in the observance
of family prayer, of reading Scripture, or of the
Lord's Supper, of whom we should not have ex-
pected beforehand such a profession of faith ; or
we hear them avowing the high evangelical truths
of the New Testament, and countenancing those
who maintain them. All this brings it about, that
it is our interest in this world to profess to be
Christ's disciples.

And further than this, it is necessary to remark,
that, in spite of this general profession of zeal for
the Gospel among all respectable persons at this
day, nevertheless there is reason for fearing, that
it is not altogether the real Gospel that they are
zealous for. Doubtless we have cause to be
thankful whenever we see persons earnest in the
various ways I have mentioned. Yet, somehow,
after all, there is reason for being dissatisfied with
the character of the religion of the day ; dissatis-
fied, first, because oftentimes these same persons
are very inconsistent ; — often, for instance, talk
irreverently and profanely, ridicule or slight things
sacred, speak against the Holy Church, or against
the blessed Saints of early times, or even against
the favoured servants of God, set before us in
Scripture; or act with the world and the worse
sort of men, even when they do not speak like

70 SELF-DENIAL THE TEST OF [Serm.

them ; attend to them more than to the Ministers
of God, or are very lukewarm, lax, and unscru-
pulous in matters of conduct, so much so, that
they seem hardly to go by principle, but by what
is merely expedient and convenient. And then
again, putting aside our judgment of these men
as individuals, and thinking of them as well as
we can, (which of course it is our duty to do,) yet,
after all, taking merely the multitude of them
as a symptom of a state of things, I own I am
suspicious of any religion that is a people's reli-
gion, or an age's religion. Our Saviour says,
" Narrow is the way." This, of course, must not
be interpreted without great caution; yet surely
the whole tenor of the Inspired Volume leads us
to believe that His Truth will not be heartily re-
ceived by the many, that it is against the current
of human feeling and opinion, and the course of
the world, and so far forth as it is received by a
man, will be opposed by himself, i. e. by his old
nature which remains about him, next by all
others, so far forth as they have not received it.
"The light shining in darkness" is the token of
true religion ; and, though doubtless there are sea-
sons when a sudden enthusiasm arises in favour of
the Truth, (as in the history of St. John the Bap-
tist, in whose " light" the Jews " were willing for
a season to rejoice'," so as even "to be baptized

' John V. 35.

v.] RELIGIOUS EARNESTNESS. 71

of him, confessing their sins ' ;") yet such a popula-
rity of the truth is but sudden, comes at once and
goes at once, has no regular growth, no abiding
stay. It is error alone which grows and is re-
ceived heartily on a large scale. St. Paul has set
up his warning against our supposing Truth will
ever be heartily accepted, whatever show there
may be of a general profession of it, in his last
Epistle, where he tells Timothy, among other sad
prophecies, that " evil men and seducers shall
wax worse and worse ^" Truth, indeed, has that
power in it, that it forces men to profess it in
words ; but when they go on to act, instead of
obeying it, they substitute some idol in the place of
it. On these accounts, when there is much talk of
religion in a country, and much congratulation that
there is a general concern for it, a cautious mind
will feel anxious lest some counterfeit be, in fact,
honoured instead of it ; lest it be the dream of
man rather than the verities of God's word, which
has become popular, and lest the received form
have no more of truth in it than is just necessary to
recommend it to the reason and conscience : — lest,
in short, it be Satan transformed into an angel of
light, rather than the Light itself, which is attract-
ing followers.

If, then, this be a time, (which I suppose it is,)
when a general profession of religion is thought
respectable and right in the virtuous and orderly
' Matt. iii. G. ' 2 Tim. iii. 1 3.

72 SELF-DENIAL THE TEST OF [Serm.

classes of the community, this circumstance should
not diminish your anxiety about your own state
before God, but rather (I may say) increase it ; for
two reasons, first, because you are in danger of
doing right from motives of this world ; next, be-
cause you may, perchance, be cheated of the Truth,
by some ingenuity which the world puts, like coun-
terfeit coin, in the place of the Truth.

Some, indeed, of those who now hear me, are in
situations where they are almost shielded from the
world's influence, whatever it is. There are persons
so happily placed as to have religious superiors, who
direct them to what is good only, and who are
kind to them, as well as pious towards God. This
is their happiness, and they must thank God
for the gift ; but it is their temptation too. At
least they are under one of the two temptations
just mentioned ; good behaviour is, in their case,
not only a matter of duty, but of interest. If they
obey God, they gain praise from men as well as
from Him ; so that it is very difiicult for them to
know whether they do right for conscience' sake,
or for the world's sake. Thus, whether in private
families, or in the world, in all the ranks of
middle life, men lie under a considerable danger
at this day, a more than ordinary danger, of self-
deception, of being asleep while they think them-
selves awake.

How then shall we try ourselves ? Can any
tests be named which will bring certainty to our

v.] RELIGIOUS EARNESTNESS. 73

minds on the subject? No indisputable tests
can be given. We cannot know for certain. We
must beware of an impatience about knowing
what our real state is. St. Paul himself did not
know till the last days of his life, (as far as we
know,) that he was one of God's elect who shall
never perish. He said, " I know nothing by
myself, yet am I not hereby justified ^" i. e.
though I am not conscious to myself of neglect
of duty, yet am I not therefore confident of my
acceptance. Judge nothing before the time. Ac-
cordingly he says in another place, " I keep under
my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by
any means, when I have preached to others, I
myself should be a castaway ^" And yet though
this absolute certainty of our election unto glory
be unattainable, and the desire to obtain it an
impatience which ill befits sinners, nevertheless a
comfortable hope, a sober and subdued belief that
God has pardoned and justified us for Christ's
sake, (blessed be His name !) is attainable, accord-
ing to St. John's words, " If our heart condemn us
not, then have we confidence toward God \" And
the question is, how are we to attain to this,
under the circumstances in which we are placed?
In what does it consist ?

Were we in a heathen land, (as I said just now,)
it were easy to answer. The very profession of the

' 1 Cor. iv. 4. ' 1 Cor. ix. 27. 1 John iii. 21.

74 SELF-DENIAL THE TEST OF [Serm.

Gospel would almost bring evidence of true faith,
as far as we could have evidence ; for such profes-
sion among Pagans is almost sure to involve per-
secution. Hence it is that the Epistles are so full
of expressions of joy in the Lord Jesus, and in the
exulting hope of salvation. Well might they be
confident who had suffered for Christ. " Tribula-
tion worketh patience, and patience experience,
and experience hope'." " Henceforth let no man
trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the
Lord Jesus I" " Always bearing about in the body
the dying of the Lord Jesus; that the life also
of Jesus might be made manifest in our body^"
" Our hope of you is stedfast, knowing that as
ye are partakers of the suffering, so shall ye be
also of the consolation ^" These and such like
texts belong to those only who have witnessed
for the truth like the early Christians. They
are beyond us.

This is certain ; yet since the nature of Christian
obedience is the same in every age, it still brings
with it, as it did then, an evidence of God's
favour. We cannot indeed make ourselves as
sure of our being in the number of God's true
servants as the early Christians were, yet we may
possess our degree of certainty, and by the same
kind of evidence, the evidence of self-denial. This

' Rom. V. 3,4. * Gal. vi. 17.

' 2 Cor. iv. 10. < 2 Cor. i. 7.

v.] RELIGIOUS EARNESTNESS. 75

was the great evidence which the first disciples
gave, and which we can give still. Reflect upon
our Saviour's plain declarations, " Whosoever will
come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up
his cross and follow Me'." "If any man come
to Me, and hate not his father and mother, and
wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea,
and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come
after Me, he cannot be My disciple ^" " If thy
hand offend thee, cut it off .... if thy foot offend
thee, cut it off . . . .if thine eye offend thee, pluck
it out : . . . . it is better for thee to enter into life
maimed .... halt .... with one eye, than to
be cast into hell ^"

Now without attempting to explain perfectly
such passages as these, which doubtless cannot be
understood without a fulness of grace which is
possessed by very few men, yet at least we learn
thus much from them, that a rigorous self-denial is
a chief duty, nay, that it may be considered the
test whether we are Christ's disciples, whether we
are living in a mere dream, which we mistake
for Christian faith and obedience, or are really
and truly awake, alive, living in the day, on
our road heavenwards. The early Christians went
through self-denials in their very profession of
the Gospel ; what are cmr self-denials^ now that

' Mark viii. 34. * Luke xiv. 26, 27. ' Mark ix. 43—47.

76 SELF-DENIAL THE TEST OF [Serm.

the profession of the Gospel is not a self-denial?
In what sense do we fulfil the words of Christ?
have we any distinct notion what is meant by
the words "taking up our cross?" in what way
are we acting, in which we should not act, sup-
posing the Bible and the Church were unknown to
this country, and religion, as existing among us,
was merely a fashion of this world ? What are we
doing, which we have reason to trust is done for
Christ's sake who bought us ?

You know well enough that works are said to be
the fruits and evidence of faith. That faith is said
to be dead which has them not. Now what works
have we to show of such a kind as to give us " con-
fidence," so that we may " not be ashamed before
Him at His coming \"

In answering this question I observe, first of all,
that, according to Scripture, the self-denial which
is the test of our faith must be daily. "If any
man will come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily ^ and follow Me ^"
It is thus St. Luke records our Saviour's words.
Accordingly, it seems that Christian obedience
does not consist merely in a few occasional efforts,
a few accidental good deeds, or certain seasons
of repentance, prayer, and activity ; a mistake,
which minds of a certain class are very apt to
fall into. This is the kind of obedience which

' 1 John ii. 28. ' Luke ix. 23.

v.] RELIGIOUS EARNESTNESS. 77

constitutes what the world calls a great man, i. e.
a man who has some noble points, and every now
and then acts heroically, so as to astonish and
subdue the minds of beholders, but who in private
life has no abiding personal religion, who does
not regulate his thoughts, words, and deeds, accord-
ing to the law of God. Again, the word daily
implies, that the self-denial which is pleasing to
Christ consists in little things. This is plain, for
opportunity for great self-denials does not come
every day. Thus to take up the cross of Christ is
no great action done once for all, it consists in the
continual practice of small duties which are dis-
tasteful to us.

If, then, a person asks how he is to know
whether he is dreaming on in the world's slumber,
or is really awake and alive unto God, let him
first fix his mind upon some one or other of his
besetting infirmities. Every one who is at all in
the habit of examining himself, must be conscious
of such within him. Many men have more than
one, all of us have some one or other ; and in
resisting and overcoming such, self-denial has its
first employment. One man is indolent and fond
of amusement, another man is passionate or ill-
tempered, another is vain, another has little con-
troul over his tongue ; others are weak, and cannot
resist the ridicule of thoughtless companions;
others are tormented with bad passions, of which

78 SELF-DENIAL THE TEST OF [Seem.

they are ashamed, yet are overcome. Now let
every one consider what his weak point is ; in
that is his trial. His trial is not in those things
which are easy to him, but in that one thing, in
those several things, whatever they are, in which
to do his duty is against his nature. Never think
yourself safe because you do your duty in ninety-
nine points ; it is the hundredth which is to be the
ground of your self-denial, which must evidence,
or rather instance and realize your faith. It is
in reference to this you must watch and pray ;
pray continually for God's grace to help you, and
watch with fear and trembling lest you fall.
Other men may not know what these weak points
of your character are, they may mistake them.
But you may know them ; you may know them
by their guesses and hints, and your own observa-
tion, and the light of the Spirit of God. And
oh, that you may have strength to wrestle with
them and overcome them! Oh, that you may
have the wisdom to care little for the world's
religion, or the praise you get from the world, and
your agreement with what clever men, or powerful
men, or many men, make the standard of reli-
gion, compared with the secret consciousness that
you are obeying God in little things as well as
great, in the hundredth duty as well as in the
ninety-nine ! Oh, that you may (as it were)
sweep the house diligently to discover what you

v.] RELIGIOUS EARNESTNESS. 79

lack of the full measure of obedience ! for be
quite sure, that this apparently small defect will
influence your whole spirit and judgment in all
things. Be quite sure that your judgment of
persons, and of events, and of actions, and of
doctrines, and your spirit towards God and man,
your faith in the high truths of the Gospel, and
your knowledge of your duty, all depend in a
strange way on this strict endeavour to observe
the whole law, on this self-denial in those little
things in which obedience is a self-denial. Be
not content with a warmth of faith carrying you
over many obstacles even in your obedience,
forcing you past the fear of men, and the usages
of society, and the persuasions of interest; exult
not in your experience of God's past mercies, and
your assurance of what He has already done for
your soul, if you are conscious you have neglected
the one thing needful, the " one thing " which
" thou lackest," — daily self-denial.

But, besides this, there are other modes of
self-denial to try your faith and sincerity, which
it may be right just to mention. It may so
happen that the sin you are most liable to, is not
called forth every day. For instance: anger and
passion are irresistible perhaps when they come
upon you, but it is only at times that you are
provoked, and then you are off your guard ; so
that the occasion is over, and you have failed,
before you were well aware of its coming. It is

80 SELF-DENIAL THE TEST OF [Serm.

right then almost to find out for yourself daily
self-denials ; and this because our Lord bids you
take up your cross daily, and because it proves
your earnestness, and because by doing so you
strengthen your general power of self-mastery,
and come to have such an habitual command of
yourself, as will be a defence ready prepared
when the season of temptation comes. Rise up
then in the morning with the purpose that (please
God) the day shall not pass without its self-denial,
with a self-denial in innocent pleasures and tastes,
if none occurs to mortify sin. Let your very
rising from your bed be a self-denial ; let your
meals be self-denials. Determine to yield to
others in things indifferent, to go out of your way
in small matters, to inconvenience yourself, (so that
no direct duty suffers by it,) rather than you
should not meet with your daily discipline. This
was the Psalmist's method, who was, as it were,
"punished all day long, and chastened every
morning ^" It was St. Paul's method, who " kept
under," or bruised "his body, and brought it
into subjection -." This is one great end of
fasting. A man says to himself, " How am I to
know I am in earnest ?" I would suggest to him.
Make some sacrifice, do some distasteful thing,
which you are not actually obliged to do, (so that
it be lawful,) to bring home to your mind that in

» Psalm Ixxiii. 14. * 1 Cor. ix. 27.

v.] RELIGIOUS EARNESTNESS. 81

fact you do love your Saviour, that you do hate
sin, that you do hate your sinful nature, that you
have put aside the present world. Thus you will
have an evidence (to a certain point) that you are
not using mere words. It is easy to make profes-
sions, easy to say fine things in speech or in
writing, easy to astonish men with truths which
they do not know, and sentiments which rise
above human nature. "But thou, O servant of
God, flee these things, and follow after righteous-
ness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."
Let not your words run on ; force every one of
them into action as it goes, and thus, cleansing
yourself from all pollution of the flesh and spirit,
perfect holiness in the fear of God. In dreams we
sometimes move our arms to see if we are awake
or not, and so we are awakened. This is the way
to keep your heart awake also. Try yourself daily
in little deeds, to prove that your faith is more
than a deceit.

I am aware all this is a hard doctrine ; hard to
those even who assent to it, and can describe it
most accurately. There are such imperfections,
such inconsistencies in the heart and life of even
the better sort of men, that continual repentance
must ever go hand in hand with our endeavours
to obey. Much we need the grac6 of Christ's
blood to wash us from the guilt we daily incur;
much need we the aid of His promised Spirit ! And
surely He will grant all the riches of His mercy

VOL. I, G

82 SELF-DENIAL.

to His true servants ; but as surely He will vouch-
safe to none of us the power to believe in Him,
and the blessedness of being one with Him, who
are not as earnest in obeying Him as if salvation
depended on themselves.

SERMON VI.

THE SPIRITUAL MIND.

1 Cor. iv. 20.
' ** The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power."

How are we the better for being members of the
Christian Church? This is a question which has
ever claims on our attention ; but it is right from
time to time to examine our hearts with more than
usual care, to try them by the standard of that
divinely enlightened temper in the Church, and in
the Saints, the work of the Holy Ghost, called by
St. Paul " the spirit." I ask then, how are we the
better for being Christ's disciples? what reason
have we for thinking that our lives are very
different from what they would have been if we
had been heathens ? Have we, in the words of the
text, received the kingdom of God in word or in
power? I will make some remarks in explanation
of this question, which may (through God's grace)
assist you in answering it.

G 2

84 ■ THE SPIRITUAL MIND. [Serm.

1. Now first, if we would form a just notion
how far we are influenced by the power of the
Gospel, we must evidently put aside every thing
which we do merely in imitation of others, and
not from religious principle. Not that we can
actually separate our good words and works into
two classes, and say, what is done from faith, and
what is done only by accident, and in a random-
way ; but without being able to draw the line, it
is quite evident that so very much of our appa-
rent obedience to God arises from mere obedience
to the world and its fashions ; or rather, that it is
so difficult to say what is done in the spirit of
faith, as to lead us, on reflection, to be very much
dissatisfied with ourselves, and quite out of con-
ceit with our past lives. Let a person merely
reflect on the number and variety of bad or
foolish thoughts which he suffers, and dwells on in
private, which he would be ashamed to put into
words, and he will at once see, how very poor a
test his outward demeanour in life is of his real
holiness in the sight of God. Or again, let him
consider the number of times he has attended
public worship as a matter of course because
others do, and without seriousness of mind; or
the number of times he has found himself un-
equal to temptations when they came, which
beforehand he and others made light of in
conversation, blaming those perhaps who had
been overcome by them, and he must own that

VI.] THE SPIRITUAL MIND. 85

his outward conduct shapes itself unconsciously to
the manners of those with whom he lives, being
acted upon by external impulses, apart from any
right influence proceeding from the heart. Now,
when I say this, am I condemning all that we
do, without thinking expressly of the duty of
obedience at the very time we are doing it ? Far
from it ; a religious man, in proportion as obedi-
ence becomes more and more easy to him, will
doubtless do his duty unconsciously. It will be
natural to him to obey, and therefore he will do
it naturally, i. e. without effort or deliberation. It
is difficult things which we are obliged to think
about before doing them. When we have mas-
tered our hearts in any matter, (it is true,) we no
more think of the duty while we obey, than we
think how to walk when we walk, or by what
rules to exercise any art which we have thoroughly
acquired. Separate acts of faith aid us on while
we are unstable. As we get strength, but one
extended act of faith (so to call it) influences
us all through the day, and our whole day is
but one act of obedience also. There then is no
minute distribution of our faith among our par-
ticular deeds. Our will runs parallel to God's
will. This is the very privilege of confirmed
Christians ; and it is comparatively but a sordid
way of serving God, to be thinking when we do a
deed, " if I do not do this, I shall risk my salva-
tion ; or, if I do it, I have a chance of being

86 THE SPIRITUAL MIND. [Sbrm.

saved;" — comparatively 2^, grovelling M^ay, for it is
the best, the only way for sinners such as we are,
to begin to serve God. Still as we grow in grace,
we throw away childish things; then we are
able to stand upright like grown men, without
the props and aids which our infancy required.
This is the noble manner of serving God, to do
good without thinking about it, without any cal-
culation or reasoning, from love of the good, and
hatred of the evil ; — though cautiously and with
prayer and watching, yet so generously, that if
we were suddenly asked why we so act, we could
only reply " because it is our way," or " because
Christ so acted;" so spontaneously as not to know
so much that we are doing right, as that we are
not doing wrong ; I mean, with more of instinctive
fear of sinning, than of minute and careful ap-
preciation of the degrees of our obedience. Hence
it is that the best men are ever the most humble ;
as for other reasons, so especially because they
are accustomed to be religious. They surprise
others, but not themselves; they surprise others
at their very calmness and freedom from thought
about themselves. This is to have a great mind,
to have within us that princely heart of innocence
of which David speaks. Common men see God
at a distance; in their attempts to be religious
they feebly guide themselves as by a distant
light, and are obliged to calculate and search
about for the path. But the long practised

VI.J THE SPIRITUAL MIND. 87

Christian, who, through God's mercy, has brought
God's presence near to hira, the elect of God, in
whom the Blessed Spirit dwells, he does not look
out of doors for the traces of God; he is moved
by God dweUing in him, and needs not but act
on instinct. I do not say there is any man alto-
gether such, for this is an angelic life; but it is
the state of mind to which vigorous prayer and
watching tend.

How different is this high obedience from that
random unawares way of doing right, which to so
many men seems to constitute a religious life !
The excellent obedience I have been describing
is obedience on habit Now the obedience I con-
demn as untrue, may be called obedience on
custom. The one is of the heart, the other of
the lips; the one is in power, the other in word;
the one cannot be acquired without much and
constant vigilance, generally not without much
pain and trouble ; the other is the result of a
mere passive imitation of those whom we fall in
with. Why need I describe what every man's
experience bears witness to? Why do children
learn their mother tongue, and not a foreign
language ? Do they think about it ? Are they
better or worse for acquiring one language and
not another? Their character, of course, is just
what it would have been otherwise. How then
are we better or worse, if we have but in the same
passive way admitted into our minds certain reli-

88 THE SPIRITUAL MIND. [Serm.

gious opinions; and have but accustomed our-
selves to the words and actions of the world around
us? Supposing we had never heard of the
Gospel, should we not do just what we do, even
in a heathen country, were the manners of the
place, from one cause or another, as decent and
outwardly religious? This is the question we
have to ask ourselves. And if we are conscious
to ourselves that we are not greatly concerned
about the question itself, and have no fears worth
mentioning, of being in the wrong, and no anxiety
to find what is right, is it not evident that we
are living to the world, not to God, and that what-
ever virtue we may actually have, still the Gospel
of Christ has come to us not in power, but in word
only ?

I have now suggested one subject for consider-
ation concerning our reception of the kingdom of
God ; viz. to inquire whether we have received it
more than eternally ; but,

2. I will go on to affirm that we may have
received it in a higher sense than in word merely,
and yet in no real sense in power ; in other words,
that our obedience may be in some sort religious,
and yet hardly deserve the title of Christian. This
may be at first sight a startling assertion. It may
seem to some of us as if there were no difference
between being religious and being Christian ; and
that to insist on a difference is to perplex people.
But listen to me. Do you not think it possible

VI.] THE SPIRITUAL MIND. 89

for men to do their duty, i. e. be religious, in a
heathen country? Doubtless it is. St. Peter says,
that in every nation he that feareth God and
worketh righteousness is accepted with Him \
Now are such persons, therefore. Christians ? Cer-
tainly not. It would seem, then, it is possible
to fear God and work righteousness, yet without
being Christians; for (if we would know the
truth of it) to be a Christian is to do this, and to
do much more than this. Here, then, is a fresh
subject for self-examination. Is it not the way of
men to dwell with satisfaction on their good deeds,
particularly when, for some reason or other, their
conscience smites them ? Or when they are led to
the consideration of death, then they begin to turn
in their minds how they shall acquit themselves
before the judgment-seat. And then it is they feel
a relief in being able to detect, in their past lives,
any deeds which may be regarded in any sense
religious. You may hear some persons comforting
themselves that they never harmed any one; and
that they have not given into an openly profligate
and riotous life. Others are able to say more ;
they can speak of their honesty, their industry,
or their general conscientiousness. We will say
they have taken good care of their families ; they
have never defrauded or deceived any one; and
they have a good name in the world ; nay, they

' Acts X. 3.

90 THE SPIRITUAL MIND. [Serm.

have in one sense lived in the fear of God. I will
grant them this and more; yet possibly they are
not altogether Christians in their obedience. I
will grant that these virtuous and religious deeds
are really fruits of faith, not external merely, done
without thought, but proceeding from the heart.
I will grant they are really praiseworthy, and,
when a man from want of opportunity knows no
more, really acceptable to God; yet they deter-
mine nothing about his having received the Gospel
of Christ in power. Why ? for the simple reason
that they are not enough. A Christian's faith
and obedience is built on all this, but is only
built on it. It is not the same as it. To be
Christians, surely it is not enough to be that which
we are enjoined to be, and must be, even without
Christ ; not enough to be no better than good
heathens; not enough to be, in some slight mea-
sure, just, honest, temperate, and religious. We
must indeed be just, honest, temperate, and reli-
gious, before we can rise to Christian graces, and
to be practised in justice and the like virtues is the
way, the ordinary way, in which we receive the
fulness of the kingdom of God ; and, doubtless,
any man who despises those who try to practise
them, (I mean conscientious men, who notwith-
standing have not yet clearly seen and welcomed
the Gospel system,) and slightingly calls them
" mere moral men" in disparagement, such a man
knows not what spirit he is of, and had best

VI.] THE SPIRITUAL MIND. 91

take heed how he speaks against the workings of
the inscrutable Spirit of God. I am not wishing
to frighten these imperfect Christians, but to lead
them on ; to open their minds to the greatness of
the work before them, to dissipate the meagre and
carnal views in which the Gospel has come to
them, to warn them that they must never be con-
tented with themselves, or stand still and relax
their efforts, but must go on unto perfection; that
till they are much more than they are at present,
they have received the kingdom of God in word,
not in power ; that they are not spiritual men, and
can have no comfortable sense of Christ's presence
in their souls ; for to whom much is given, of him
is much required.

What is it, then, that they lack ? I will read
several passages of Scripture which will make
it plain. St. Paul says, " If any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature : old things are passed away ;
behold, all things are become new." Again :
" The life which I now live in the flesh, I live
by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave Himself for me." " The love of Christ con-
straineth us." " Put on, therefore, as the elect
of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies,
kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-
suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving
one another, if any man have a quarrel against
any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye;
and above all these things, put on charity, which

92 THE SPIRITUAL MIND. [Serm.

is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of
God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are
called in one body, and be ye thankful. Let the
word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom."
" God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into
your hearts." Lastly, our Saviour's own memorable
words, " If any man will come after Me, let
him deny himself, and take up his cross daily
and follow Me^" Now it is plain that this is a
very different mode of obedience from any which
natural reason and conscience tell us of; — differ-
ent, not in its nature^ but in its excellence and
'peculiarity. It is much more than honesty, justice,
and temperance; and this is to be a Christian.
Observe in what respect it is different from that
lower degree of religion which we may possess
without entering into the mind of the Gospel.
First of all in its faith ; which is placed, not
simply in God, but in God as manifested in
Christ, according to His own words, " Ye believe
in God, believe also in Me^" Next, we must
adore Christ as our Lord and Master, and love
Him as our most gracious Redeemer. We must
have a deep sense of our guilt, and of the diffi-
culty of securing Heaven ; we must live as in His
presence, daily pleading His cross and passion,
thinking of His holy commandments, imitating His
sinless pattern, and depending on the gracious

' 2 Cor. V. 14. 17. Gal. ii. 20. Col. iii. 12— 16. Gal, iv. 6.
Luke ix. 23. ' John xiv. 1.

VI.] THE SPIRITUAL MIND. 93

aids of His Spirit ; that we may really and truly
be servants of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in
whose name we were baptized. Further, we
must, for His sake, aim at a noble and unusual
strictness of life, perfecting holiness in His fear,
destroying our sins, mastering our whole soul, and
bringing it into captivity to His law, denying
ourselves lawful things, in order to do Him
service, exercising a profound humility, and an
unbounded, never-failing love, giving away much of
our substance in religious and charitable works,
and discountenancing and shunning irreligious
men. This is to be a Christian ; a gift easily
described, and in a few words, but attainable only
with fear and much trembling ; promised, indeed,
and in a measure accorded at once to every
one who asks for it, but not secured till after many
years, and never in this life fully realized. But
be sure of this, that every one of us, who has had
the opportunities of instruction and sufficient time,
and yet does not in some good measure possess it,
every one, who, when death comes, has not gained
his portion of that gift which it requires a course
of years to gain, and which he might have gained,
is in a peril so great and fearful, that I do not like
to speak about it. As to the notion of a partial
and ordinary fulfilment of the duties of honesty,
industry, sobriety, and kindness, *' availing^" him,

' Gal. vi. 15.

94 THE SPIRITUAL MIND. [Serm.

it has no Scriptural encouragement. We must
stand or fall by another and higher rule. We
must have become what St. Paul calls " new
creatures^ ;" that is, we must have lived and wor-
shipped God as the redeemed of Jesus Christ, in
all faith and humbleness of mind, in reverence for
His word and ordinances, in thankfulness, in resig-
nation, in mercifulness, gentleness, purity, patience,
and love.

Now, considering the obligation of obedience
which lies upon us Christians, in these two respects,
first, as contrasted with a mere outward and no-
minal profession, and next contrasted with that
more ordinary obedience which is required of those
even who have not the Gospel, how evident is it
that we are far from the kingdom of God ! Let
each in his own conscience apply this to him-
self. I will grant he has some real Christian
principle in his heart ; but I wish him to observe
how Utile that is likely to be. Here is a thought
not to keep us from rejoicing in the Lord Christ,
but to make us " rejoice with trembling ^" wait
diligently on God, pray Him earnestly to teach us
more of our duty, and to impress the love of it on
our hearts, to enable us to obey both in that free
spirit, which can act right without reasoning and
calculation, and yet with the caution of those who
know their salvation depends on obedience in little

^ Gal. vi. 15. * Ps. ii. n.

VI.] THE SPIRITUAL MIND. 95

things, from love of the truth as manifested in Him
who is the Living Truth come upon earth, "the
Way, the Truth, and the Life K"

With others we have no concern ; we do not
know what their opportunities are. There may be
thousands in this populous land who never had the
means of hearing Christ's voice fully, and in whom
virtues short of evangelical will hereafter be ac-
cepted as the fruit of faith. Nor can we know the
hearts of ani/ men, or tell what is the degree in
which they have improved their talents. It is
enough to keep to ourselves. We dwell in the full
light of the Gospel, and the full grace of the Sacra-
ments. We ought to have the holiness of Apostles.
There is no reason except our own wilful corruption,
that we are not by this time walking in the steps
of St. Paul or St. John, and following them as they
followed Christ. What a thought is this ! Do not
cast it from you, my brethren, but take it to your
homes, and may God give you grace to profit by it !

' John xiv. 6.

SERMON VII.

SINS OF IGNORANCE AND WEAKNESS.

Hebrews x. 22.

" Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our
bodies washed with pure water."

Among the reasons which may be assigned for
the observance of prayer at stated times, there is
one which is very obvious, and yet perhaps is
not so carefully remembered and acted upon as
it should be. I mean the necessity of sinners
cleansing themselves from time to time of the
ever-accumulating guilt which loads their con-
sciences. We are ever sinning ; and though
Christ has died once for all to release us from
our penalty, yet we are not pardoned once for
all, but according as, and whenever each of us
supplicates for the gift. By the prayer of faith
we appropriate it ; but only for the time, not for
ever. Guilt is again contracted, and must be
again repented of and washed away. We cannot

SINS OF IGNORANCE AND WEAKNESS, 97

by one act of faith establish ourselves for ever
after in the favour of God. It is going beyond
His will to be impatient for a final acquittal,
when we are bid ask only for our daily bread.
We are still so far in the condition of the Israel-
ites ; and though we do not offer sacrifice, or
observe the literal washings of the Law, yet we
still require the periodical renewal of those bless-
ings which were formerly conveyed in their degree
by the Mosaic rites ; and though we gain far more
excellent gifts from God than the Jews did, and
by more spiritual ordinances, yet means of ap-
proaching Him we still need, and continual
means to keep us in the justification in which
baptism first placed us. Of this the text reminds
us. It is addressed to Christians, to the regene-
rate ; yet so far from their regeneration having
cleansed them once for all, they are bid ever to
sprinkle the blood of Christ upon their consciences,
and renew (as it were) their baptism, and so con-
tinually appear before the presence of Almighty
God.

Let us now endeavour to realize a truth, which
few of us will be disposed to dispute as far as
words go.

1. First consider our present condition, as shown
us in Scripture. Christ has not changed this,
though He has died ; it is as it was from the
beginning, — I mean our actual state as men. We

VOL. I. H

98 SINS OF IGNORANCE [Seem.

have Adam's nature in the same sense as if
redemption had not come to the world. It has
come to all the world, but the world is not
changed thereby as a whole, — that change is not
a work done and over in Christ. We are changed
one by one ; the race of man is what it ever was,
guilty; — what it was before Christ came; with
the same evil passions, the same slavish will. The
history of redemption, if it is to be effectual, must
begin from the beginning with every individual
of us, and be carried on through our own life. It
is not a work done ages before we were bom. We
cannot profit by the work of a Saviour, though
He be the Blessed Son of God, so as to be saved
thereby without our own working ; for we are
moral agents, we have a will of our own, and
Christ must be formed in us, and turn us from
darkness to light, if God's gracious purpose, ful-
filled upon the cross, is to be in our case more
than a name, an abused, wasted privilege. Thus
the world, viewed as in God's sight, can never
become wiser or more enlightened than it has
been. We cannot mount upon the labours of our
forefathers. We have the same nature that man
ever had, and we must begin from the point man
ever began from, and work out our salvation in the
same slow, persevering manner.

(1.) When this is borne in mind, how important
the Jewish law becomes to us Christians ! impor-

VII.] AND WEAKNESS. 99

tant in itself, over and above all references con-
tained in it to that Gospel which it introduced.
To this day it fulfils its original purpose of im-
pressing upon man his great guilt and feebleness.
Those legal sacrifices and purifications which are
now all done away, are still evidence to us of a
fact which the Gospel has not annulled, — our cor-
ruption. Let no one lightly pass over the Book
of Leviticus, and say it only contains the cere-
monial of a national law. Let no one study it
merely with a critic's eye, satisfied with connecting
it in a nicely arranged system with the Gospel,
as though it contained prophecy only. No ;
it speaks to us. Are we better than the Jews?
is our nature less unbelieving, sensual, or proud,
than theirs? Surely man is at all times the
same being, as even the philosophers tell us. And
if so, that minute ceremonial of the Law presents
us with a picture of our daily life. It impres-
sively testifies to our continual sinning, by sug-
gesting that an expiation is needful in all the
most trivial circumstances of our conduct ; and
that it is at our peril if we go on carelessly and
thoughtlessly, trusting to our having been once
accepted, — whether in baptism, — or (as we think)
at a certain season of repentance, or (as we may
fancy) at the very time of the death of Christ, (as
if then the whole race of man were really and at
once pardoned and exalted,) — or (worse still) if we
profanely doubt that man has ever fallen under

H 2

100 SINS OF IGNORANCE [Serm.

a curse, and trust idly in the mercy of God, with-
out a feeling of the true misery and infinite danger
of sin.

Consider the ceremony observed on the great
day of atonement, and you will see what was the
sinfulness of the Israelites, and therefore of all
mankind, in God's sight. The High Priest was
taken to represent the holiest person of the whole
world. The nation itself was holy above the rest
of the world; from it a holy tribe was selected;
from the holy tribe, a holy family ; and from that
family, a holy person. This was the High Priest,
who was thus set apart as the choice specimen
of the whole human race ; yet even he was not
allowed, under pain of death, to approach even
the mercy-seat of God, except once a year: nor
then in his splendid robes, nor without sacri-
fices for the sins of himself and the people, the
blood of which he carried with him into the holy
place.

Or consider the sacrifices necessary according
to the Law for sins of ignorance ' ; or again, for
the mere touching any thing which the Law pro-
nounced unclean, or for bodily disease ^ and hence
learn how sinful our ordinary thoughts and deeds
must be, represented to us as they are by these
outward ceremonial transgressions. Not even their
thanksgiving might the Israelites offer without an

* Levit. iv. ' Levit. v. 2. 6. xiv. 1—32.

VII.] AND WEAKNESS. 101

offering of blood to cleanse it ; for our corruption
is not merely in this act or that, but in our nature.
(2.) Next, to pass from the Jewish law, you will
observe that God tells us expressly in the history
of the fall of Adam, what the legal ceremonies
implied ; that it is our very nature which is sin-
ful. Herein is the importance of the doctrine
of original sin. It is very humbling, and as such
the only true introduction to the preaching of
the Gospel. Men can without trouble be brought
to confess that they sin, i. e. that they commit
sins. They know well enough they are not per-
fect; nay, that they do nothing in the best
manner. But they do not like to be told that the
race from which they proceed is degenerate. Even
the indolent have pride here. They think they
can do their duty, only do not choose to do it;
they like to believe, (though strangely indeed, for
they condemn themselves while they believe it,)
they like to believe that they do not want assist-
ance. A man must be far gone in degradation,
and has lost even that false independence of mind
which is often a substitute for real religion in
leading to exertion, who, while living in sin,
steadily and contentedly holds the opinion that
he is born for sin. And much more do the in-
dustrious and active dislike to have it forced upon
their minds, that do what they will, they have the
taint of corruption about all their doings and

102 SINS OF IGNORANCE [Serm.

imaginings. We know how ashamed men are of
being low born, or discreditably connected. This
is the sort of shame forced upon every son of
Adam. " Thy first father hath sinned :" this is the
legend on our forehead which even the sign of
the Cross does no more than blot out, leaving the
mark of it. This is our shame ; but I notice it
here, not so much as a humbling thought, as with
a view of pressing upon your consciences the
necessity of appearing before God at stated sea-
sons, in order to put aside the continually-re-
newed guilt of your nature. Who will dare go
on day after day in neglect of earnest prayer,
and the Holy Communion, while each day brings
its own fearful burden, coming as if spontaneously
springing from our very nature, but not got rid
of without deliberate and direct acts of faith in
the Great Sacrifice which has been set forth for
its removal ?

(3.) Further, look into your own souls, my breth-
ren, and see if you cannot discern some part of the
truth of the Scripture statement, which I have
been trying to set before you. Recollect the bad
thoughts of various kinds which come into your
minds like darts ; for these will be some evidence
to you of the pollution and odiousness of your
nature. True, they proceed from your adversary,
the Devil ; and the very circumstance of your ex-
periencing them is in itself no proof of your being

VII.] AND WEAKNESS. 103

sinful, for even the Son of God, your Saviour,
suffered from the temptation of them. But you
will scarcely deny that they are received by you
so freely and heartily, as to show that Satan
tempts you through your nature, not against it.
Again, let them be ever so external in their first
coming, do you not make them your own? Do
you not detain them ? or do you impatiently and
indignantly shake them off? Even if you reject
them, still do they not answer Satan's purpose in
inflaming your mind at the instant, and so evidence
that the matter of which it is composed is corrupt-
ible ? Do you not, for instance, dwell on the
thought of wealth and splendour till you covet
these temporal blessings ? or do you not suffer your-
selves, though for a while, to be envious, or discon-
tented, or angry, or vain, or impure, or proud ? Ah !
who can estimate the pollution hence, of one single
day; the pollution of touching merely that dead
body of sin which we put off indeed at our baptism,
but which is tied about us while we live here, and
is the means of our Enemy's assaults upon us !
The taint of death is upon us, and surely we
shall be stifled by the encompassing plague, unless
God from day to day vouchsafes to make us
clean.

2. Again, reflect on the habits of sin which we
superadded to our evil nature before we turned to
God. Here is another source of continual defile-
ment. Instead of checking the bad principles

104 SINS OF IGNORANCE [Sehm

within us, perhaps we indulged them for years ;
and they truly had their fruit unto death. Then
Adam's sin increased, and multiplied itself within
us ; there was a change, but it was for the worse,
not for the better ; and the new nature we gained,
far from being spiritual, was twofold more the
child of hell than that with which we were born.
So when, at length, we turned back into a better
course, what a complicated work lay before us, to
unmake ourselves ! And however long we have
laboured at it, still how much unconscious, un-
avoidable sin, the result of past transgression, is
thrown out from our hearts day by day in the
energy of our thinking and acting ! Thus, through
the sins of our youth, the power of the flesh is
exerted against us, as a second creative principle
of evil, aiding the malice of the Devil; Satan
from without, — and our hearts from within, not
passive merely and kindled by temptation, but
devising evil, and speaking hard things against
God with articulate voice, whether we will or not !
Thus do past years rise up against us in present
offences ; gross inconsistencies show themselves
in our character ; and much need have we con-
tinually to implore God to forgive us our past
transgressions, which still live in spite of our re-
pentance, and act of themselves vigorously against
our better mind, feebly influenced by that younger
principle of faith, by which we fight against
them.

VII.] AND WEAKNESS. 105

3. Further, consider how many sins are involved
in our obedience, I may say from the mere neces-
sity of the case ; that is, from not having that
more vigorous and clear-sighted faith which would
enable us accurately to discern and closely to
follow the way of life. The case of the Jews will
exemplify what I mean. There were points of
God's perfect Law which were not urged upon
their acceptance, because it was foreseen that they
would not be able to receive them as they really
should be received, or to bring them home prac-
tically to their minds, and obey them simply and
truly. We, Christians, with the same evil hearts
as the Jews had, and most of us as unformed
in holy practice, have, nevertheless, a perfect
Law. We are bound to take and use all the
precepts of the New Testament, though it stands
to reason that many of them are, in matter of
fact, quite above the comprehension of most of
us. I am speaking of the actual state of the case,
and will not go aside to ask why, or under what
circumstances God was pleased to change His
mode of dealing with man. But so it is ; the
Minister of Christ has to teach his sinful people a
perfect obedience, and does not know how to set
about it, or how to insist on any precept, so as to
secure it from being misunderstood and misapplied.
He sees men are acting upon low motives and
views, and finds it impossible to raise their minds
all at once, however clear his statements of the

106 SINS OF IGNORANCE [Serm.

Truth. He feels that their good deeds might be
done in a much better manner. There are num-
berless small circumstances about their mode of
doing things which oifend him, as implying
poverty of faith, superstition, and contracted
carnal notions. He is obliged to leave them to
themselves with the hope that they may improve
generally, and outgrow their present feebleness;
and is often perplexed whether to praise or blame
them. So is it with all of us, Ministers as well
as people ; it is so with the most advanced of
Christians while in the body, and God sees it.
What a source of continual defilement is here;
not an omission merely of what might be added
to our obedience, but a cause of positive offence
in the eyes of Eternal Purity ! Who is not dis-
pleased when a man attempts some great work
which is above his powers? and is it an excuse
for his miserable performance that the work is
above him ? Now this is our case ; we are bound
to serve God with a perfect heart ; an exalted
work, a work for which our sins disable us. And
when we attempt it, necessary as is our endea-
vour, how miserable must it appear in the eyes of
the Angels! how pitiful our exhibition of our-
selves ; and, withal, how sinful ! since did we love
God more from the heart, and had we served Him
from our youth up, it would not have been with
us as it is. Thus our very calling, as creatures, and
again as elect children of God, and freemen in

VII.] AND WEAKNESS. 107

the Gospel, is by our sinfulness made our shame;
for it puts us upon duties, and again upon the
use of privileges, which are above us. We attempt
great things with the certainty of failing, and yet
the necessity of attempting ; and so while we
attempt, need continual forgiveness for ihejailure
of the attempt. We stand before God as the
Israelites at the passover of Hezekiah, who desired
to serve God according to the Law, but could not
do so accurately from lack of knowledge; and
we can but offer, through our Great High Priest,
our sincerity and earnestness instead of exact obe-
dience as Hezekiah did for them. " The good Lord
pardon every one, that prepareth his heart to seek
God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not
cleansed according to the purification of the sanc-
tuary ^ ;" not performing, that is, the full duties of
his calling.

And if such be the deficiencies, even of the
established Christian, in his ordinary state, how
great must be those of the penitent, who has but
lately begun the service of God ? or of the young,
who are still within the influence of some un-
bridled imagination, or some domineering passion ?
or of the heavily depressed spirit, whom Satan
binds with the bonds of bodily ailment, or tosses
to and fro in the tumult of doubt and indecision ?
Alas ! how is their conscience defiled with the

• 2 Chron. xxx. 18, 19.

108 SINS OF IGNORANCE [Serm.

thoughts, nay the words of every hour! and how
inexpressibly needful for them to relieve them-
selves of the evil that weighs upon their heart,
by drawing near to God in full assurance of faith,
and washing away their guilt in the Expiation
which He has appointed!

What I have said is a call upon you, my breth-
ren, in the first place, to daily private prayer.
Next, it is a call upon you to join the public
services of the Church, not only once a week, but
whenever you have the opportunity; knowing
well that your Redeemer is especially present
where two or three are gathered together. And,
further, it is an especial call upon you to attend
upon the celebration of the Lord's Supper, in
which blessed ordinance we really and truly gain
that spiritual life which is the object of our daily
prayers. The Body and Blood of Christ give
power and efficacy to our daily faith and repent-
ance. Take this view of the Lord's Supper; as
the appointed means of obtaining the great bless-
ings you need. The daily prayers of the Christian
do but spring from, and are referred back to, his
attendance on it. Christ died once, long since:
by communicating in His Sacrament, you renew
the Lord's death; you bring into the midst of
you that Sacrifice which took away the sins of the
world ; you appropriate the benefit of it, while
you eat it under the elements of bread and wine.
These outward signs are simply the means of an

VII.] AND WEAKNESS. 109

hidden grace. You do not expect to sustain your
animal life without food; be but as rational in
spiritual concerns as you are in temporal. Look
upon the consecrated elements as necessary ^ under
God's blessing, to your continual sanctification ;
approach them as the salvation of your souls.
Why is it more strange that God should work
through means for the health of the soul, than
that He should ordain them for the preservation
of bodily life, as He certainly has done? It is
unbelief to think it matters not to your spiritual
welfare whether you communicate or not. And
it is worse than unbelief, it is utter insensibility
and obduracy, not to discern the state of death
and corruption into which, when left to yourselves,
you are continually falling back. Rather thank
God, that whereas you are sinners, instead of His
leaving the mere general promise of life through
His Son, which is addressed to all men, He has
allowed you to take that promise to yourselves one
by one, and thus gives you a humble hope that
He has chosen you out of the world unto sal-
vation.

Lastly, I have all along spoken as addressing
true Christians, who are walking in the narrow
way, and have hope of heaven. But these are
the "few." Are there none here present of the
"many" who walk in the broad way, and have
upon their heads all their sins, from their baptism
upwards? Rather, is it not probable that there

110 SINS OF IGNORANCE [Seum.

are persons in this congregation, who, though
mixed with the people of God, are really unfor-
given, and if they now died, would die in their
sins ? First, let those who neglect the Holy Com-
munion ask themselves whether this is not their
condition; let them reflect whether among the
signs by which it is given us to ascertain our
state, there can be, to a man's own conscience, a
more fearful one than this, that he is omitting
what is appointed as the ordinary means of his
salvation. This is a plain test, about which no
one can deceive himself. But next, let him have
recourse to a more accurate search into his con-
science ; and ask himself whether (in the words
of the text) he " draws near to God with a true
heart," i. e. whether in spite of his prayers and
religious services, there be not some secret, unre-
sisted lusts within him, which make his devotion a
mockery in the sight of God, and leave him in his
sins ; whether he be not in truth thoughtless, and
religious only as far as his friends make him seem
so, — or light-minded and shallow in his religion,
being ignorant of the depths of his guilt, and
resting presumptuously on his own innocence (as
he thinks it) and God's mercy; — whether he be
not set upon gain, obeying God only so far as
His service does not interfere with the service of
mammon ; — whether he be not harsh, evil-tem-
pered,— unforgiving, unpitiful, or high-minded, —
self-confident, and secure; — or whether he be not

VII.] AND WEAKNESS. Ill

fond of the fashions of this world, which pass away,
desirous of the friendship of the great, and of shar-
ing in the refinements of society ; — or whether
he be not given up to some engrossing pursuit,
which indisposes him to the thought of his God
and Saviour.

Any one deliberate habit of sin incapacitates a
man for receiving gifts of the Gospel. All such
states of mind as these are fearful symptoms of the
eadstence of some such wilful sin in our hearts ; and
in proportion as we trace these symptoms in our
conduct, so much we dread, lest we be reprobate.

Let us then approach God all of us, confessing
that we do not know ourselves ; that we are more
guilty than we can possibly understand, and can
but timidly hope, not confidently determine, that
we have true faith. Let us take comfort in our
being still in a state of grace, though we have no
certain pledge of salvation. Let us beg Him to
enlighten us, and comfort us ; to forgive us all our
sins, teaching us those we do not see, and enabling
us to overcome them.

SERMON VIIL

GOD'S COMMANDMENTS NOT GRIEVOUS.

1 John v. 3.

" This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments ;
and His commandments are not grievous."

It must ever be borne in mind, that it is a very
great and arduous thing to attain to heaven.
" Many are called, few are chosen." " Strait
is the gate, and narrow is the way." " Many
will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."
" If any man come to Me, and hate not his
father and mother, and wife and children, and
brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he
cannot be My disciple'." On the other hand, it
is evident to any one who reads the New
Testament with attention, that Christ and His
Apostles speak of a religious life as something
easy, pleasant, and comfortable. Thus, in the
words I have taken for my text : — " This is the
love of God, that we keep His commandments;

' Matt. xxii. 14. vii. 14. Luke xiii. 24. xiv. 26.

GOD'S COMMANDMENTS NOT GRIEVOUS. 113

and His commandments are not grievous. In like
manner our Saviour says, " Come unto Me ....
and I will give you rest .... My yoke is easy,
and My burden is light'." Solomon, also, in the
Old Testament, speaks in the same way of true
wisdom : — " Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and
all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to
them that lay hold upon her : and happy is every
one that retaineth her .... When thou liest
down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt
lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet^" Again,
we read in the prophet Micah : " What doth the
Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love
mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God*?" as if
it were a little and an easy thing so to do.

Now I will attempt to show Jiow it is that these
apparently opposite declarations of Christ and His
Prophets and Apostles are fulfilled to us. For
it may be objected by inconsiderate persons that
we are (if I may so express it) hardly ti^eated ;
invited to come to Christ and receive His light
yoke, promised an easy and happy life, the joy
of a good conscience, the assurance of pardon,
and the hope of Heaven ; and then, on the other
hand, when we actually come, as it were, rudely
repulsed, frightened, reduced to despair by severe
requisitions and evil forebodings. Such is the
objection, — not which any Christian would bring

' Matt. xi. 28—30. ' Prov. iii. 17—24. * Micah vi. 8.
VOL. I. I

114 GOD'S COMMANDMENTS [Serm.

forward ; for we, my brethren, know too much of
the love of our Master and only Saviour in dying
for us, seriously to entertain for an instant any
such complaint. We have at least faith enough
for this, (and it does not require a great deal,)
viz. to believe that the Son of God, Jesus Christ,
is not "yea and nay, but in Him is yea. For
all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in
Him amen, unto the glory of God by us\" It is
for the very reason that none of us can seriously
put the objection, that I allow myself to state it
strongly ; to urge it being in a Christian's judg-
ment absurd, even more than it would be wicked.
But though none of us really feel as an objection to
the Gospel, this difference of view under which it is
presented to us, or even as a difficulty, still it may
be right (in order to our edification) that we should
see how these two views of it are reconciled. We
must understand Jiow it is both severe and indulgent
in its commands, and both arduous and easy in its
obedience, in order that we may understand it at all.
" His commandments are not grievous," says the
text. How is this ? — I will give one answer out of
several which might be given.

Now it must be admitted, first of all, as matter
of fact, that they are grievous to the great mass
of Christians. I have no wish to disguise a fact
which we do not need the Bible to inform us of,

1 2 Cor. i. 19, 20.

VIII.] NOT GRIEVOUS. 115

but which common experience attests. Doubtless
even those common elementary duties, of which
the prophet speaks, " doing justly, loving mercy,
and walking humbly with our God," are to most
men grievous.

Accordingly, men of worldly minds, finding
the true way of life unpleasant to walk in, have
attempted to find out other and easier roads ; and
have been accustomed to argue, that there must
be another way which suits them better than that
which religious men walk in, for the very reason
that Scripture declares that Christ's command-
ments are not grievous. I mean, you will meet
with persons who say, "After all it is not to be
supposed that a strict religious life is so necessary
as is told us in church ; else how should any one
be saved? nay, and Christ assures us His yoke
is easy. Doubtless we shall fare well enough,
though we are not so earnest in the observance of
our duties as we might be; though we are not
regular in our attendance at public worship ;
though we do not honour Christ's ministers and
reverence His Church as much as some men do ;
though we do not labour to know God's will, to
deny ourselves, and to live to His glory, as entirely
as the strict letter of Scripture enjoins." Some
men have gone so far as boldly to say, "God
will not condemn a man merely for taking a little
pleasure ;" by which they mean, leading an irre-
ligious and profligate life. And many there are

i2

116 GOD'S COMMANDMENTS [Serm.

who virtually maintain that we may live to the
world, so that we do so decently, and yet live to
God ; arguing that this world's blessings are given
us by God, and therefore may lawfully be used;
— that to use lawfully is to use moderately and
thankfully ; — that it is wrong to take gloomy views,
and right to be innocently cheerful, and so on ;
which is all very true thus stated, did they not
apply it unfairly, and call that use of the world
moderate and innocent, which the Apostles would
call being conformed to the world, and serving
mammon instead of God.

And thus, before showing you what is meant
by Christ's commandments not being grievous, I
have said what is not meant by it. It is not meant
that Christ dispenses with strict religious obe-
dience ; the whole language of Scripture is against
such a notion. " Whosoever shall break one of
these least commandments, and shall teach men
so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of
heaven ^" " Whosoever shall keep the whole
law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of
alP." Whatever is meant by Christ's yoke being
easy, Christ does not encourage sin. And again,
whatever is meant, still I repeat, as a matter of
fact, most men find it not easy. So far must not
be disputed. Now then let us proceed, in spite
of this admission, to consider how He fulfils His

* Matt. V. 19. - James ii. 10.

VIII.] NOT GRIEVOUS. 117

engagements to us, that His ways are ways of
pleasantness.

1. Now, supposing some superior promised you
any gift in a particular way, and you did not
follow his directions, would he have broken his
promise, or you have voluntarily excluded your-
selves from the advantage ? Evidently you would
have brought about your own loss ; you might,
indeed, think his offer not worth accepting, bur-
dened (as it was) with a condition annexed to it,
still you could not in any propriety say that he
failed in his engagement. Now when Scripture
promises us that its commandments shall be easy,
it couples the promise with the injunction that
we should seek God early. "I love them that
love Me, and those that seek Me early shall find
Me ^" Again : " Remember now thy Creator in
the days of thy youth ^" These are Solomon's
words ; and if you require our Lord's own autho-
rity, attend to His direction about the children :
" Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and
forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of
God ^" Youth is the time of covenant with us,
when He first gives us His Spirit ; first giving
th&ii^ that we may then forthwith begin our return
of obedience to Him ; not then giving it that we
may delay our thank-offering for twenty, thirty,
or fifty years ! Now it is obvious that obedience

' Prov. viii. 17. '' Eccles. xii. 1. ' Mark x. 14.

118 GOD'S COMMANDMENTS [Serm.

to God's commandments is ever easy, and almost
without effort to those who begin to serve Him
from the beginning of their days; whereas those
who wait a while, find it grievous in proportion to
their delay.

For consider how gently God leads us on in our
early years, and how very gradually He opens upon
us the complicated duties of life. A child at first
has hardly anything to do but to obey his parents ;
of God he knows just as much as they are able to
tell him, and he is not equal to many thoughts
either about Him or about the world. He is
almost passive in their hands who gave him life;
and, though he has those latent instincts about
good and evil, truth and falsehood, which all men
have, he does not know enough, he has not had
experience enough from the contact of external
objects, to elicit into form and action those innate
principles of conscience, or make himself conscious
of the existence of them.

And while on the one hand his range of duty
is very confined, observe how he is assisted in
performing it. First, he has no bad habits to
hinder the suggestions of his conscience : indo-
lence, pride, ill-temper, do not then act as they
afterwards act, when the mind has accustomed
itself to disobedience, as stubborn, deep-seated
impediments in the way of duty. To obey requires
an effort, of course ; but an, effort like the bodily
effort of the child's rising from the ground, when

VIII.J NOT GRIEVOUS. 119

he has fallen on it ; not the effort of shaking off
drowsy sleep ; not the effort (far less) of violent
bodily exertion in a time of sickness and long
weakness: and the first effort made, obedience
on a second trial will be easier than before, till
at length it will be easier to obey than not to
obey. A good habit will be formed, where other-
wise a bad habit would have been formed. Thus
the child, we are supposing, would begin to have
a character ; no longer influenced by every tempt-
ation to anger, discontent, fear, and obstinacy, in
the same way as before ; but with something of
firm principle in his heart to repel them in a
defensive way, as a shield repels darts. In the
mean time the circle of his duties would enlarge ;
and, though for a time the issue of his trial would
be doubtful to those who (as the Angels) could
see it, yet, should he, as a child, consistently
pursue this easy course for a few years, it may be,
his ultimate salvation would be actually secured,
and might be predicted by those who could see
his heart, though he would not know it himself.
Doubtless new trials would come on him ; bad
passions, which he had not formed a conception
of, would assail him ; but a soul thus born of God,
in St. John's words, " sinneth not ; but he that is
begotten of God keepeth himself, and that
wicked one toucheth him not \" " His seed

* 1 John V. 18.

120 GOD'S COMMANDMENTS [Serm.

remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because
he is born of God '." And so he would grow
up to man's estate, his duties at length attaining
their full range, and his soul being completed
in all its parts for the due performance of them.
This might be the blessed condition of every one
of us, did we but follow from infancy what we
know to be right ; and in Christ's early life, (if
we may dare to speak of Him in connexion with
ourselves,) it was fulfilled while He increased day
by day sinlessly in wisdom as in stature, and
in favour with God and man. But my present
object of speaking of this gradual growth of
holiness in the soul, is, (not to show what we
might be, had we the heart to obey God,) but
to show how easy obedience would in that case
be to us ; consisting, as it would, in no irksome
ceremonies, no painful bodily discipline, but in
the free-will offerings of the heart, of the heart
which had been gradually, and by very slight
occasional efforts, trained to love what God and
our conscience approve.

Thus Christ's commandments, viewed as He
enjoins them on us, are not grievous. They would
be grievous if put upon us all at once ; but they
are not heaped on us, according to His order of
dispensing them, which goes upon an harmonious
and considerate plan ; by little and little, first

' 1 John iii. 9.

VIII.] NOT GRIEVOUS. V21

one duty, then another, then both, and so on.
Moreover, they come upon us, while the safeguard
of virtuous principle is forming naturally and
gradually in our minds by our very deeds of
obedience, and is following them as their reward.
Now, if men will not take their duties in Christ's
order, but are determined to delay obedience, with
the intention of setting about their duty some day
or other, and then making up for past time, is it
wonderful that they find it grievous and difficult
to perform ? that they are overwhelmed with the
arrears of their great work, that they are entangled
and stumble amid the intricacies of the Divine
system which has progressively enlarged upon
them? And is Christ under obligation to stop
that system, to recast His providence, to take
these men out of their due place in the Church,
to save them from the wheels that are crushing
them, and to put them back again into some
simple and more childish state of trial, where
(though they cannot have less to unlearn) they, at
least, may for a time have less to do.

2. All this being granted, it still may be ob-
jected, since (as I have allowed) the command-
ments of God are grievous to the generality of
men, where is the use of saying what men ought
to be, when we know what they are f and how is
it fulfilling a promise that His commandments
shall not be grievous, by informing us that they
otight not to be ? It is one thing to say that the

122 GOD'S COMMANDMENTS [Serm.

Law is in itself holy, just, and good, and quite
a different thing to declare it is not c/rievom to
sinful man.

In answering this question, I fully admit that
our Saviour spoke of man as he is, as a sinner,
when He said His yoke should be easy to him.
Certainly, He came not to call righteous men, but
sinners. Doubtless we are in a very different state
from that of Adam before his fall ; and doubtless,
in spite of this, St. John says that even to fallen
men His commandments are not grievous. On
the other hand I grant, that if man cannot obey
God, obedience mmt be grievous ; and I grant too
(of course) that man by nature cannot obey God.
But observe, nothing has here been said, nor by
St. John in the text, of man as by nature born in
sin; but of man as a child of grace, as Christ's
purchased possession, who goes before us with
His mercy, puts the blessing first, and then adds
the command; regenerates us and then bids us
obey. Christ bids us do nothing that we cannot
do. He repairs the fault of our nature, even
before it manifests itself in act. He cleanses us
from original sin, and rescues us from the wrath
of God by the sacrament of baptism. He gives
us the gift of His Spirit, and then He says,
"What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do
justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly
with thy God ?" and is this grievous?

When, then, men allege their bad nature as an

VI II.] NOT GRIEVOUS. 123

excuse for their dislike of God's commandments,
if, indeed, they are heathens, let them be heard,
and an answer may be given to them even as such.
But with heathens we are not now concerned. These
men make their complaint as Christians^ and as
Christians they are most unreasonable in making it ;
God having provided a remedy for their natural in-
capacity in the gift of His Spirit. Hear St. Paul's
words ; " If through the offence of one many be
dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by
grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath
abounded unto many .... Where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound : that as sin hath
reigned unto death, even so might grace reign
through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus
Christ our Lord'."

And there are persons, let it never be forgotten,
who have so followed God's leading providence
from their youth up, that to them His command-
ments not only are not grievous, but never have
been : and that there are such, is the condemnation
of all who are not such. They have been brought
up "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord^;"
and they now live in the love and "the peace
of God, which passeth all understanding'." Such
are they whom our Saviour speaks of, as "just
persons, which need no repentance*." Not that

' Rom. V. 15—21. ' Eph. vi. 4.

' Phil. iv. 7. * Luke xv. 7.

124 GOD'S COMMANDMENTS [Serm.

they will give that account of themselves, for
they are full well conscious in their own hearts
of sins innumerable, and habitual infirmity. Still,
in spite of stumblings and falls in their spiritual
course, they have on the whole persevered. As
children they served God on the whole; they
disobeyed, but they recovered their lost ground;
they sought God and were accepted. Perhaps
their young faith gave way for a time altogether ;
but even then they contrived with keen repentance,
and strong disgust at sin, and earnest prayers, to
make up for lost time, and keep pace with the
course of God's providence. Thus they have
walked with God, not indeed step by step with
Him; never before Him, often loitering, stum-
bling, falling to sleep; yet in turn starting and
" making haste to keep His commandments," " run-
ning, and prolonging not the time." Thus they
proceed, not, however, of themselves, but as up-
held by His right hand, and guiding their steps
by His Word ; and though they have nothing
to boast of, and know their own unworthiness,
still they are witnesses of Christ to all men, as
showinsr what man can become, and what all
Christians ought to be ; and at the last day, being
found meet for the inheritance of the saints in
light, they "condemn the world," as Noah did,
and become " heirs of the righteousness which
is by faith," according to the saying, " this is

VIII.] NOT GRIEVOUS. 125

the victory that overcometh the world, even our
faith'."

And now, to what do the remarks I have been
making tend, but to this? — to humble every one
of us. For, however faithfully we have obeyed
God, and however early we began to do so,
surely we might have begun sooner than we did,
and might have served Him more heartily. We
cannot but be conscious of this. Individuals
among us may be more or less guilty, as the case
may be; but the best and the worst among us
here assembled, may well unite themselves to-
gether so far as this, to confess they "have erred
and strayed from God's ways like lost sheep,"
" have followed too much the devices and desires
of their own hearts," have "no health" in them-
selves as being "miserable offenders." Some of
us may be nearer Heaven, some further from it ;
some may have a good hope of salvation, and
others, (God forbid ! but it may be,) others no
present hope. Still let us unite now as one body
in confessing, (to the better part of us such con-
fession will be more welcome, and to the worse it
is more needful,) in confessing ourselves sinners,
deserving God's anger, and having no hope ex-
cept "according to His promises declared unto
mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord." He who
first regenerated us and then gave His command-
ments, and then was so ungratefully deserted by

' 1 John V. 4.

126 GOD'S COMMANDMENTS [Serm.

US, He again it is that must pardon and quicken
us after our accumulated guilt, if we are to be
pardoned. Let us then trace back in memory (as
far as we can) our early years; what we were
when five years old, when ten, when fifteen, when
twenty ! what our state would have been as far as
we can guess it, had God taken us to our account
at any age before the present. I will not ask how
it would go with us, were we now taken ; we will
' suppose the best.

Let each of us (I say) reflect upon his own
most gross and persevering neglect of God at
various seasons of his past life. How considerate
He has been to us ! How did He shield us from
temptation ! how did He open His will gradually
upon us, as we might be able to bear it ' ! how
has He done all things well, so that the spiritual
work might go on calmly, safely, surely! How
did He lead us on, duty by duty, as if step
by step upwards, by the easy rounds of that ladder
whose top reaches to Heaven ? Yet how did
we thrust ourselves into temptation ! how did we
refuse to come to Him that we might have life !
how did we daringly sin against light ! And
what was the consequence? that our work grew
beyond our strength ; or rather that our strength
grew less as our duties increased ; till at length
we gave up obedience in despair. And yet then
He still tarried and was merciful unto us ; He
' 1 Cor. X. 13.

VIII.] NOT GRIEVOUS. 127

turned and looked upon us to bring us into repent-
ance ; and we for a while were moved. Yet,
even then our wayward hearts could not keep
up to their own resolves : letting go again the
heat which Christ gave them, as if made of
stone, and not of living flesh. What could have
been done more to His vineyard, that He hath
not done in it ' ? "0 my people (He seems to
say to us), what have I done unto thee? and
wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.
I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and
redeemed thee out of the house of servants ; . . . .
what doth the Lord require of thee, but justice,
mercy, and humbleness of mind ^ ?" He hath
showed us what is good. He has borne and carried
us in His bosom, " lest at any time we should dash
our foot against a stoned" He shed His Holy
Spirit upon us that we might love Him. And
*• this is the love of God, that we keep His com-
mandments, and His commandments are not
grievous." Why, then, have they been grievous
to us ? Why have we erred from His ways, and
hardened our hearts from His fear ? Why do we
this day stand ashamed, yea, even confounded,
because we bear the reproach of our youth ?

Let us then turn to the Lord, while yet we may.
Difficult it will be in proportion to the distance
we have departed from Him. Since every one
might have done more than he has done, every

' Isaiah v. 4. ^ Micah vi. 3—8. ' Psalm xci. 12.

128 GOD'S COMMANDMENTS [Seum.

one has suffered losses he never can make up.
We have made His commands grievous to us : we
must bear it ; let us not attempt to explain them
away because they are grievous. We never can
wash out the stains of sin. God may forgive, but
the sin has had its work, and its memento is set
up in the soul. God sees it there. Earnest obe-
dience and prayer will gradually remove it. Still,
what miserable loss of time is it in our brief life,
to be merely undoing (as has become necessary)
the evil which we have done, instead of going on
to perfection ! If by God's grace we shall be able
in a measure to sanctify ourselves in spite of our
former sins, yet how much more should we have
attained, had we always been engaged in His
service !

These are bitter and humbling thoughts, but
they are good thoughts if they lead us to repent-
ance. And this leads me to one more observation,
with which I conclude.

If any one who hears me is at present moved by
what I have said, and feels the remorse and shame
of a bad conscience, and forms any sudden good
resolution, let him take heed to follow it up at
once by acting upon it. I earnestly beseech him
so to do. For this reason ; — because if he does
not, he is beginning a habit of inattention and in-
sensibility. God moves us in order to make the
beginning of duty easy. If we do not attend. He
ceases to move us. Any of you, my brethren,

VIIL] NOT GRIEVOUS. 129

who will not take advantage of this considerate
providence, if you will not turn to God now with
a warm heart, you will hereafter be obliged to do
so (if you do so at all,) with a cold heart ; — which
is much harder. God keep you from this !

VOL. I.

SERMON IX.

THE RELIGIOUS USE OF EXCITED FEELINGS.

Luke viii. 38, 39.

" The man out of whom the devils were departed besought Him
that he might be with Him ; but Jesus sent him away, saying,
Return to thine own house, and show how great things God
hath done unto thee."

It is very natural in the man whom our Lord
had set free from this dreadful visitation, to wish
to continue with Him. Doubtless his mind was
transported with joy and gratitude ; whatever
consciousness he might possess of his real wretch-
edness while the devils tormented him, now at
least, on recovering his reason, he would under-
stand that he had been in a very miserable state,
and he would feel all the lightness of spirits and
activity of mind, which attend any release from
suffering or constraint. Under these circum-
stances he would imagine himself to be in a
new world ; he had found deliverance ; and what
was more, a Deliverer too, who stood before
him. And whether from a wish to be ever in

THE RELIGIOUS USE, &c. 131

His divine presence ministering to Him, or from
a fear lest Satan would return, nay, with seven-
fold power, did he lose sight of Christ, or from an
undefined notion that all his duties and hopes
were now changed, that his former pursuits were
unworthy of him, and that he must follow up
some great undertakings with the new ardour
he felt glowing within him ; — from one or other,
or all of these feelings combined, he besought our
Lord that he might be with Him. Christ im-
posed this attendance as a command on others;
He bade, for instance, the young ruler follow
Him ; but He gives opposite commands, according -
to our tempers and likings ; He thwarts us, that ; \
He may try our faith. In the case before us He
suffered not, what at other times He had bidden.
" Return to thine own house," He said, or as it is
in St. Mark's Gospel, "Go home to thy friends,
and tell them how great things the Lord hath
done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee'."
He directed the current of his newly-awakened
feelings into another channel ; as if He said,
" Lovest thou Me ? this do ; return home to your
old occupations and pursuits. You did them ill
before, you lived to the world; do them well
now, live to Me. Do your duties, little as well
as great, heartily for My sake; go among your
friends ; show them what God hath done for thee ;

» Mark v. 19.

k2

122 THE RELIGIOUS USE [Serm.

be an example to them, and teach them'." And
further, as He said on another occasion, " Show
thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses
commanded, for a testimony unto them^" — show
forth that greater light and truer love which you
now possess in a conscientious, consistent obe-
dience to all the ordinances and rites of your
religion.

Now from this account of the restored demo-
niac, his request, and our Lord's denial of it, a
lesson may be drawn for the use of those who,
having neglected religion in early youth, at length
begin to have serious thoughts, try to repent, and
wish to serve God better than hitherto, though they
do not well know how to set about it. We know
that God's commandments are pleasant and " rejoice
the heart," if we accept them in the order and
manner in which He puts them upon us; that
Christ's yoke, as He has promised, is (on the whole)
very easy, if we submit to it betimes ; that the
practice of religion is full of comfort to those who,
being first baptized with the Spirit of grace, receive
thankfully His influences as their minds open, in-
asmuch as they are gradually and almost without
sensible effort on their part, imbued in all their
heart, soul, and strength, with that true heavenly
life which will last for ever.

But here the question meets us, " But what are

* Col. iii. 17. ' Matt, viii.4.

IX.] OF EXCITED FEELINGS. 133

those to do who have neglected to remember their
Creator in the days of their youth, and so have
lost all claim on Christ's promise, that His yoke
shall be easy, and His commandments not griev-
ous ? I answer, that of course they must not be
surprised if obedience is with them a laborious up-
hill work all their days ; nay, as having been " once
enlightened, and partaken of the Holy Ghost " in
baptism, they would have no right to complain
even though " it were impossible for them to renew
themselves again unto repentance." But God is
more merciful than this just severity; merciful
not only above our deservings, but even above His
own promises. Even for those who have neglected
Him when young, He has found (if they will
avail themselves of it,) some sort of remedy of the
difficulties in the way of obedience which they have
brought upon themselves by sinning; and what
this remedy is, and how it is to be used, I proceed
to describe in connexion with the account in the
text.

The help T speak of is the excited^eellng with
which repentance is at first attended. True it is,
that all the passionate emotion, or fine sensibility,
which ever man displayed, will never by itself
make us change our ways, and do our duty.
Impassioned thoughts, high aspirations, sublime
imaginings, have no strength in them. They can
no more make a man obey consistently, than they
can move mountains. If any man truly repent,

134 THE RELIGIOUS USE [Sehm.

it must be in consequence, not of these, but of
a settled conviction of his guilt, and a deliberate
resolution to leave his sins and serve God. Con-
science, and Reason in subjection to Conscience,
these are those powerful instruments (under grace)
which change a man. But you will observe, that
though Conscience and Reason lead us to resolve
on and to attempt a new life, they cannot at once
make us love it. It is long practice and habit
w^hich make us love religion ; and in the beginning,
obedience, doubtless, is very grievous to habitual
sinners. Here then is the use of those earnest,
ardent feelings of which I just spoke, and which
attend on the first exercise of conscience and

!. reason, — to take away from the beginnings of obe-
•dience its grievousness, to give us an impulse
4 which may carry us over the first obstacles, and
send us on our way rejoicing. Not as if all this
excitement of mind were to last, (which cannot
be,) but it will do its office in thus setting us off;
and then will leave us to the more sober and
higher comfort resulting from that real love for
religion, which obedience itself will have by that
time begun to form in us, and will gradually go on
to perfect.

Now it is well to understand this fully, for it is
often mistaken. When sinners are led to think
seriously, stronger feelings generally precede or
attend their reflections about themselves. Some
book they have read, some conversation of a

IX.] OF EXCITED FEELINGS. 135

friend, some remarks they have heard made in
church, or some occurrence or misfortune, rouses
them. Or, on the other hand, if in any more
calm and deliberate manner they have com-
menced their self-examination, yet in a little time
the very view of their manifold sins, of their
guilt, and their heinous ingratitude to their God
and Saviour, breaking upon them, and being new
to them, strikes, and astonishes, and then agitates
them. Here, then, let them know the intention
of all this excitement of mind in the order of
Divine providence. It will not continue ; it
arises from the novelty of the view presented to
them. As they become accustomed to religious
contemplations, it will wear away. It is not reli-
gion itself, though it is accidentally connected
with it, and may be made a means of leading
them into a sound religious course of life. It is
graciously intended to be a set-off in their case
against the first distastefulness and pain of doing
their duty ; it must be used as such, or it will be
of no use at all, or worse than useless. My breth-
ren, bear this in mind, (and I may say this
generally, not confining myself to the excitement
which attends repentance, but of all that natural
emotion prompting us to do good, which we
involuntarily feel on various occasions,) it is given
you in order that you may find it easy to obey
at starting. Therefore obey promptly ; make use
of it whilst it lasts ; it waits for no man. Do you

136 THE RELIGIOUS USE [Sbkm.

feel natural pity towards some case which rea-
sonably demands your charity ? or the impulse
of generosity in a case where you are called to
act a manly self-denying part? Whatever the
emotion may be, whether these or any other, do
not imagine you will always feel it. Whether
you avail yourselves of it or not, still any how you
will feel less and less, and, as life goes on, at
last will not feel such sudden vehement excite-
ment at all. But this is the difference between
seizing or letting slip these opportunities ; — if you
avail yourselves of them for acting, and yield to
the impulse so far as conscience tells you to do,
you have made a leap (so to say) across a gulf,
to which your ordinary strength is not equal ;
you will have secured the beginning of obedience,
and the further steps in the course are (generally
speaking) far easier than those which first deter-
mine its direction. And so, to return to the case
of those who feel any accidental remorse for their
sins violently exerting itself in their hearts, I say
to them. Do not loiter ; go home to your friends,
and repent in deeds of righteousness and love;
hasten to commit yourselves to certain definite
acts of obedience. Doing is at a far greater dis-
tance from intending to do than you at first sight
imagine. Join them together while you can ; you
will be depositing your good feelings into your
heart itself by thus making them influence your
conduct ; and they will " spring up into fruit."

IX.] OF EXCITED FEELINGS. 137

This was the conduct of the conscience-stricken
Corinthians, as described by St. Paul; who re-
joiced " not that they were made sorry, (not that
their feelings merely were moved,) but that they
sorrowed to change of mind . . . For godly sorrow
(he continues) worketh repentance to salvation not
to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world
worketh death \"

But now let us ask, how do men usually conduct
themselves in matter of fact, when under visitings
of conscience for their past sinful lives ? They
are far from thus acting. They look upon the
turbid zeal and feverish devotion which attend
their repentance, not as in part the corrupt off-
spring of their own previously corrupt state of
mind, and partly a gracious natural provision,
only temporary, to encourage them to set about
their reformation, but as the substance and real
excellence of religion. They think that to be thus
agitated is to be religious; they indulge them-
selves in these warm feelings for their own sake,
resting in them as if they were then engaged
in a religious exercise, and boasting of them as
if they were an evidence of their own exalted
spiritual state ; not usitiff them, (the one only
thing they ought to do,) using them as an incite-
ment to deeds of love, mercy, truth, meekness,
holiness. After they have indulged this luxury

' 2 Cor. vii. 9, 10.

138 THE RELIGIOUS USE [Sehm.

of feeling for some time, the excitement of
course ceases ; they do not feel as they did
before. This (I have said) might have been
anticipated, but they do not understand it so.
See then their unsatisfactory state. They have
lost an opportunity of overcoming the first diffi-
culties of active obedience, and so of fixing their
conduct and character, which may never occur
again. This is one great misfortune ; but more
than this, what a perplexity they have involved
themselves in ! Their warmth of feeling is gra-
dually dying away. Now they think that in it
true religion consists; therefore they believe that
they are losing their faith, and falling into sin
again.

And this, alas ! is too often the case : they do
fall away, for they have no root in themselves.
Having neglected to turn their feelings into prin-
ciples by acting upon them, they have no inward
strength to overcome the temptation to live as the
world, which continually assails them. Their minds
have been acted upon as water by the wind, which
raises waves for a time, then ceasing, leaves the
water to subside into its former stagnant state.
The precious opportunity of improvement has been
lost ; " and the latter end is worse with them than
the beginning \"

But let us suppose, that when they first detect

' 2 Pet. ii. 20.

IX.] OF EXCITED FEELINGS. 139

this declension (as they consider it,) they are
alarmed, and look around for a means of recover-
ing themselves. What do they do ? Do they at
once begin those practices of lowly obedience
which alone can prove them to be Christ's at the
last day ? such as the government of their tempers,
the regulation of their time, self-denying charity,
truth-telling sobriety. Far from it ; they despise
this plain obedience to God as a mere unenlight-
ened morality, as they call it, and they seek for
potent stimulants to continue their minds in that
state of excitement which they have been taught
to consider the essence of a religious life, and which
they cannot produce by the means which before
excited them. They have recourse to new doc-
trines, or follow strange teachers, in order that
they may dream on in this their artificial de-
votion, and may avoid that conviction which
is likely sooner or later to burst upon them,
that emotion and passion are in our power in-
deed to repress, but not to e.rcite ; that there is
a limit to the tumults and swellings of the
heart, foster them as we will ; and, when that
time comes, the poor, mis-used soul is left ex-
hausted and resourceless. Instances are not rare
in the world of that fearful, ultimate state of
hard-heaitednes^ which then succeeds ; when the
miserable sinner believes indeed as the devils may,
yet not even with the devils' trembling, but sins on
without fear.

140 THE RELIGIOUS USE [Serm.

Others, again, there are, who, when their feel-
ings fall off in strength and fervency, are led
to despond ; and so are brought down to fear
and bondage, when they might have been re-
joicing in cheerful obedience. These are the better
sort, who, having something of true religious prin-
ciple in their hearts, still are misled in part, so
far, that is, as to rest in their feelings as tests of
holiness ; therefore they are distressed and alarmed
at their own tranquillity, which they think a bad
sign, and, being dispirited, lose time, others out-
stripping them in the race.

And others might be mentioned who are led by
this same first eagerness and zeal into a different
error. The restored sufferer in the text wished to
be with Christ. Now it is plain, all those who in-
dulge themselves in the false devotion I have been
describing, may be said to be desirous of thus
keeping themselves in Christ's immediate sight,
instead of returning to their own home, as He
would have them, that is, to the common duties
of life : and they do this, some from weakness
of faith, as if He could not bless them, and keep
them in the way of grace, though they pursued
their worldly callings ; others from an ill-directed
love of Him. But there are others, I say, who,
when they are awakened to a sense of religion,
forthwith despise their former condition altogether,
as beneath them ; and think that they are now
called to some high and singular office in the

IX.] OF EXCITED FEELINGS. 141

Church. These mistake their duty as those already
described neglect it ; they do not waste their
time in mere good thoughts and good words,
as the others, but they are impetuously led on to
wrong acts, and that from the influence of those
same strong emotions which they have not learned
to use aright or direct to their proper end. But to
speak of these now at any length would be beside
my subject.

To conclude ; — let me repeat and urge upon
you, my brethren, the lesson which I have de-
duced from the narrative of which the text forms
part. Your Saviour calls you from infancy to
serve Him, and has arranged all things well, so
that His service shall be perfect freedom. Blessed
above all men are they who heard His call then,
and served Him day by day, as their strength
to obey increased. But further, are you con-
scious that you have more or less neglected this
gracious opportunity, and suffered yourselves to
be tormented by Satan ? See, He calls you a
second time ; He calls you by your roused affec-
tions once and again, ere He leave you finally.
He brings you back for the time (as it were) to
a second youth by the urgent persuasions of ex-
cited fear, gratitude, love, and hope. He again
places you for an instant in that early, unformed
state of nature when habit and character were
not. He takes you out of yourselves, robbing
sin for a season of its in-dwelling hold upon

142 THE RELIGIOUS USE [Serm.

you. Let not those visitings pass away " as the
morning cloud and the early dew '." Surely, you
must still have occasional compunctions of con-
science for your neglect of Him. Your sin stares
you in the face ; your ingratitude to God affects
you. Follow on to know the Lord, and to se-
cure His favour by acting upon these impulses;
by them He pleads with you, as well as by
your conscience ; they are the instruments of His
Spirit, stirring you up to seek your true peace.
Nor be surprised, though you obey them, that
they die away ; they have done their office, and if
they die, it is but as blossom changes into the
fruit, which is far better. They must die. Perhaps
you will have to labour in darkness afterwards,
out of your Saviour's sight, in the home of your
own thoughts, surrounded by sights of this world,
and showing forth His praise among those who
/ are cold-hearted. Still be quite sure that reso-
I lute, consistent obedience, though unattended with

* high transport and warm emotion, is far more

• acceptable to Him than all those passionate
longings to live in His sight, which look more

' like religion to the uninstructed. At the very
best these latter are but the graceful beginnings
of obedience, graceful and becoming in children,
but in grown spiritual men indecorous, as the
sports of boyhood would be in advanced years.

' Hosea vi. 4.

IX.] OF EXCITED FEELINGS. 143

Learn to live by faith, which is a calm, deliberate,
rational principle, full of peace and comfort, and
sees Christ, and rejoices in Him, though sent away
from His presence to labour in the world. You
will have your reward. He will "see you again,
and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man
taketh from you."

SERMON X.

PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE.

Luke xii. 1.

" When there were gathered together an innumerable multitude
of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, He
began to say unto His disciples first of all, Beware ye of the
leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."

Hypocrisy is a serious word. We are accustomed
to consider the hypocrite as a hateful, despicable
character, and an uncommon one. How is it, then,
that our Blessed Lord, when surrounded by an in-
numerable multitude, began first of all, to warn His
disciples against hypocrisy, as though they were in
especial danger of becoming like those base de-
ceivers, the Pharisees ? Thus an instructive sub-
ject is opened to our consideration, which I will
now pursue.

I say, we are accustomed to consider the hypo-
crite as a character of excessive wickedness, and
of very rare occurrence. That hypocrisy is a
great wickedness need not be questioned ; but
that it is an uncommon sin, is not true, as a little

PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. 143

examination will show us. For what is a hypo-
crite? We are apt to understand by a hypocrite,
one who makes a profession of religion for secret
ends, without practising what he professes; who
is malevolent, covetous, or profligate, while he
assumes an outward sanctity in his words and
conduct, and who does so deliberately and with-
out remorse, deceiving others, and not at all self-
deceived. Such a man, truly, would be a portent,
for he seems to disbelieve the existence of a God
who sees the heart. I will not deny that in some
ages, nay, in all ages, a few such men have existed.
But this is not what our Saviour seems to have
meant by a hypocrite, nor were the Pharisees
such.

The Pharisees, it is true, said one thing and
did another; but they were not aware that they
were thus inconsistent ; they deceived themselves
as well as others. Indeed, it is not in human
nature to deceive others for any long time, with-
out in a measure deceiving ourselves also. And
in most cases we contrive to deceive ourselves
as much as we deceive others. The Pharisees
boasted they were Abraham's children, not at all
understanding, not knowing what was implied in
the term. They were not really included under
the blessing given to Abraham, and they wished
the world to believe they were; but then they
also themselves thought that they were, or, at
least, with whatever misgivings, they were, on the

VOL. I. L

146 PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. [Serm.

whole, persuaded of it. They had deceived them-
selves as well as the world ; and therefore our
Lord sets before them the great and plain truth,
which, simple as it was, they had forgotten. " If
ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the
works of Abraham'."

This truth, I say, they had forgotten ; — for
doubtless, they once knew it. There was a time
doubtless, when in some measure they knew
themselves, and what they were doing. When
they began (each of them in his turn) to deceive
the people, they were not, at the moment, self-
deceived. But by degrees they forgot, — because
they did not care to retain it in their knowledge,
— they forgot that to be blessed like Abraham,
they must be holy like Abraham ; that outward
ceremonies avail nothing without inward purity,
that their thoughts and motives must be heavenly.
Part of their duty they altogether ceased to know ;
another part they might still know indeed, but did
not value as they ought. They became ignorant
of tlieir own spiritual condition ; it did not come
home to them, that they were supremely influ-
enced by worldly objects ; that zeal for God's
service was but a secondary principle in their
conduct, and that they loved the praise of men
better than God's praise. They went on merely
talking of religion, of heaven and hell, the blessed

' John viii. 39.

X.] PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. 147

and the reprobate, till their discourses became
but words of course in their mouths, with no true
meaning attached to them; and they either did
not read Holy Scripture at all, or read it without
earnestness and watchfulness to get at its real
sense. Accordingly, they were scrupulously care-
ful of paying tithe even in the least matters, of
mint, anise, and cummin, while they omitted the
weightier matters of the Law, judgment, mercy,
and faith ; and on this account our Lord calls
them " blind guides," — not bold impious deceivers,
who knew that they were false guides, but blind '.
Again, they were blind, in thinking that, had
they lived in their fathers' days, they would not
have killed the prophets as their fathers did.
They did not know themselves ; they had un-
awares deceived themselves as well as the people.
Ignorance of their own ignorance was their punish-
ment and the evidence of their sin. " If ye were
blind," our Saviour says to them, if you were
simply blind, and conscious you were so, and dis-
tressed at it, '• ye should have no sin ; but now
ye say, We see," — they did not even know their
blindness — " therefore your sin remaineth ^"

This then is hypocrisy ; — not simply for a man
to deceive others, knowing all the while that he
is deceiving them, but to deceive himself and
others at the same time, to aim at their praise by

' Matt, xxiii. 24. Luke xi. 39 — 52.

* John ix. 41. Vide James i. 22.

L 2

148 PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. [Sbrm.

a religious profession, without perceiving that he
loves their praise more than the praise of God, and
that he is professing far more than he practises.
And if this be the true Scripture meaning of the
word, we have some insight (as it appears) into
the reasons which induced our Divine Teacher to
warn His Disciples in so marked a way against
hypocrisy. An innumerable multitude was throng-
ing Him, and His disciples were around Him.
Twelve of them had been appointed to minister
to Him as His especial friends. Other seventy
had been sent out from Him with miraculous
gifts; and, on their return, had with triumph
told of their own wonderful doings. All of them
had been addressed by Him as the salt of the
earth, the light of the world, the children of His
kingdom. They were the mediators between Him
and the people at large, introducing to His notice
the sick and heavy-laden. And now they stood
by Him, partaking in His popularity, perhaps
glorying in their connexion with the Christ,
and pleased to be gazed upon by the impatient
crowd. Then it was that, instead of addressing
the multitude. He spoke first of all to His disci-
ples, saying, " Beware of the leaven of the Pha-
risees, which is hypocrisy;" as if He had said,
" What is the chief sin of My enemies and perse-
cutors ? not that they openly deny God, but that
they love a profession of religion for the sake of
the praise of men that follows it. They like to

X.] PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. 149

contrast themselves with other men; they pride
themselves on being a little flock, to whom life is
secured in the midst of reprobates ; they like to
stand and be admired amid their religious per-
formances, and think to be saved, not by their
own personal holiness, but by the faith of their
father Abraham. All this delusion may come
upon you also, if you forget that you are hereafter
to be tried one by one at God's judgment-seat,
according to your works. At present, indeed,
you are invested in My greatness, and have the
credit of My teaching and holiness : but ' there
is nothing covered that shall not be revealed,
neither hid, that shall not be known,' at the last
day."

This warning against hypocrisy becomes still
more needful and impressive, from the greatness
of the Christian privileges as contrasted with the
Jewish. The Pharisees boasted they were Abra-
ham's children ; we have the infinitely higher
blessing which fellowship with Christ imparts.
In our infancy we have all been gifted with the
most awful and glorious titles, as children of
God, members of Christ, and heirs of the king-
dom of heaven. We have been honoured with
the grant of spiritual influences, which have over-
shadowed and rested upon us, making our very
bodies temples of God ; and when we came to
years of discretion, we were admitted to the mys-
tery of a heavenly communication of the Body

150 PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. [Serm.

and Blood of Christ. What is more likely, con-
sidering our perverse nature, than that we should
neglect the duties, while we wish to retain the
privileges of our Christian profession ? Our Lord
has sorrowfully foretold in His parables what was
to happen in His Church ; for instance, when He
compared it to a net which gathered of every
kind, but not inspected till the end, and then
emptied of its various contents, good and bad.
Till the day of visitation the visible Church will
ever be full of such hypocrites as I have described,
who live on under her shadow, enjoying the name
of Christian, and vainly fancying they will partake
its ultimate blessedness.

Perhaps, however, it will be granted that there
are vast numbers in the Christian world thus
professing without adequately practising ; and yet
denied, that such a case is enough to constitute
a hypocrite in the Scripture sense of the word ;
as if a hypocrite were one who professes him-
self to be what he is not, with some bad motive.
It may be urged that the Pharisees had an end
in what they did, which careless and formal
Christians have not. But consider for a moment
what was the motive which urged the Pharisees to
their hypocrisy ? surely that they might be seen
of men, have glory of men '. This is our Lord's
own account of them. Now who will say that the

' Matt. vi. 2. 5.

X.] PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. 151

esteem and fear of the world's judgment, and the
expectation of worldly advantages, do not at pre-
sent most powerfully influence the generality of
men in their profession of Christianity ? so much
so, that it is a hard matter, and is thought a great
and noble act for men who live in the public
world to do what they believe to be their duty
to God, in a straightforward way, should the
opinion of society about it happen to run counter
to them. Indeed, there hardly has been a time
since the Apostles' day, in which men were more
likely than in this age to do their good deeds to
be seen of men, to lay out for human praise, and
therefore to shape their actions by the world's rule
rather than God's will. We ought to be very
suspicious, every one of us, of the soundness of our
faith and virtue. Let us consider whether we
should act as strictly as we now do, were the eyes
of our acquaintance and neighbours withdrawn
from us. Not that a regard to the opinion of
others is a bad motive; in subordination to the
fear of God's judgment, it is innocent and allow-
able, and in many cases a duty to admit it ; and
the opportunity of doing so is a gracious gift given
from God to lead us forward in the right way.
But when we prefer man's fallible judgment to
God's unerring command, then it is we are wrong,
— and in two ways ; both became we prefer it, and
because, being fallible, it will mislead us ; and what
I am asking you, my brethren, is, not whether

152 PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. [Seum.

you merely regard man's opinion of you, (which
you ought to do,) but whether you set it before
God's judgment, which you assuredly should not
do, — and which if you do, you are like the Phari-
sees, so far as to be hypocrites, though you may not
go so far as they did in their hollow self-deceiving
ways.

1. That even decently conducted Christians
are most extensively and fearfully ruled by the
opinion of society about them, instead of living by
faith in the unseen God, is proved to my mind
by the following circumstance ; — that according as
their rank in life makes men independent of the
judgment of others, so the profession of regularity
and strictness is given up. There are two classes
of men who are withdrawn from the judgment of
the community ; those who are above it, and those
who are below it ; — the poorest class of all,
which has no thought of maintaining itself by its
own exertions, and has lost shame ; and what is
called (to use a word of this world) high fashion-
able society, by which I mean not the rich
necessarily, but those among the rich and noble
who throw themselves out of the pale of the
community, break the ties which attach them to
others, whether above or below themselves, and
then live to themselves and each other, their
ordinary doings being unseen by the world at
large. Now since it happens that these two ranks,
the outlaws, as they may be called, of public opinion.

♦

X.] PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. 153

are (to speak generally) the most openly and
daringly profligate in their conduct, how much
may be thence inferred about the influence of a
mere love of reputation in keeping us all in the
right way ! It is plain, as a matter of fact, that
the great mass of men are protected from gross
sin by the forms of society. The received laws of
propriety and decency, the prospect of a loss of cha-
racter, stand as sentinels, giving the alarm, long
before their Christian principles have time to act.
But among the poorest and rudest class, on the con-
trary, such artificial safeguards against crime are
unknown ; and (observe I say) it is among them
and that other class I have mentioned, that vice
and crime are most frequent. Are we, therefore,
better than they? Scarcely. Doubtless their
temptations are greater, which alone prevents our
boasting over them ; but, besides, do we not rather
gain from the sight of their more scandalous sins a
grave lesson and an urgent warning for ourselves,
a call on us for honest self-examination ? for we
are of the same nature, with like passions with
them ; we may be better than they, but our mere
seeming so is no proof that we are. The question
is, whether, in spite of our greater apparent virtue,
we should not fall like them, if the restraint of
society were withdrawn ; i. e. whether we are not in
the main hypocrites like the Pharisees, professing
to honour God, while ue honour Him only so far as
men require it of us ?

154 PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. [Serm.

2. Another test of being like or unlike the
Pharisees may be mentioned. Our Lord warns
us against hypocrisy in three respects, — in doing
our alms, in praying, and in fasting. " When
thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet
before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues
and in the streets, that they may have glory of
men .... When thou prayest thou shalt not be
as the hypocrites are : for they love to pray standing
in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets,
that they may be seen of men .... When ye
fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance,
for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear
unto men to fast'." Here let us ask ourselves,
first about our alms, whether we be not like the
hypocrites. Doubtless some of our charity must
be public, for the very mentioning our name
encourages others to follow our example. Still I
ask, is much of our charity also private f is as
much private as is public ? I will not ask whether
much more is done in secret than is done before
men, though this, if possible, ought to be the case.
But at least, if we think in the first place of our
public charities, and only in the second of the duty
of private alms-giving, are we not plainly like the
hypocritical Pharisees ?

The manner of our prayers will supply us with
a still stronger test. We are here assembled in

• Matt. vi. 2—16.

X.J PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. 155

worship. It is well. Have we really been praying
as well as seeming to pray ? have our minds been
actively employed in trying to form in us the diffi-
cult habit of prayer ? Further, are we as regular
in praying in our closet to our Father which is in
secret, as in public ' ? Do we feel any great remorse
in omitting our morning and evening prayers, in
saying them hastily and irreverently? And yet
should not we feel excessive pain and shame, and
rightly, at the thought of having committed any
open impropriety in church ? Should we, for in-
stance, be betrayed into laughter or other light
conduct during the service, should not we feel most
acutely ashamed of ourselves, and consider we had
disgraced ourselves, notwithstanding our habit of
altogether forgetting the next moment any sinful
carelessness at prayer in our closet ? Is not this to
be as the Pharisees ?

Take, again, the case of fasting. Alas ! most
of us, I fear, do not think at all of fasting. We
do not even let it enter our thoughts, nor debate
with ourselves, whether or not it be needful or
suitable for us to fast, or in any way mortify
our flesh. Well, this is one neglect of Christ's
words. But again, neither do we disfigure our
outward appearance to seem to fast, which the
Pharisees did. Here we seem to differ from the
Pharisees. Yet, in truth, this very apparent differ-

' Matt. vi. 6.

156 PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. [Seem.

ence is a singular confirmation of our real likeness
to them. Austerity gained them credit ; it would
gain us none. It would gain us little more than
mockery from the world. The age is changed.
In Christ's time the show of fasting made men
appear saints in the eyes of the many. See then
what we do. We keep up the outward show of
almsgiving and public worship, — observances which
(it so happens) the world approves. We have
dropped the show of fasting, which (it so happens)
the world at the present day derides. Are we
quite sure that if fasting were in honour, we
should not begin to hold fasts, as the Pharisees?
Thus we seek the praise of men. But in all this,
how are we, in any good measure, following GofTs
guidance and promises ?

We see, then, how seasonable is our Lord's
warning to us. His disciples, first of all, to beware
of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy :
professing without practising. He warns us against
it as leaven, as a subtle insinuating evil which
will silently spread itself throughout the whole
character, if we suffer it. He warns us, His dis-
ciples, lovingly considerate for us, lest we make
ourselves a scorn and derision to the profane mul-
titude, who throng around to gaze curiously, or
malevolently, or selfishly, at His doings. They
seek Him, not as adoring Him for His miracles'
sake, but, if so be, they can obtain any thing from
Him, or can please their natural tastes while they

X.] PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. 157

profess to honour Him ; and in time of trial they
desert Him. They make a gain of godliness, or
a fashion. So He speaks not to them^ but to us,
His little flock. His Church, to whom it has been
His Father's good pleasure to give the kingdom ' ;
and He bids us take heed of falling, as the Pha-
risees did before us, and like them coming short
of our reward. He warns us that the pretence of
religion never deceives beyond a little time ; that
sooner or later, "whatsoever we have spoken in
darkness shall be heard in the light, and that
which we have spoken in the ear in closets, shall
be proclaimed upon the house-tops." Even in
this world the discovery is often made. A man
is brought into temptation of some sort or other,
and having no root in himself falls away, and
gives occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blas-
pheme. Nay, this will happen to him without
himself being aware of it; for though a man
begins to deceive others before he deceives him-
self, yet he does not deceive them so long as he
deceives himself. Their eyes are at length opened
to him, while his own continue closed to him-
self. The world sees through him; detects, and
triumphs in detecting, his low motives and secular
plans and artifices, while he is but very faintly
sensible of them himself, much less has a notion
that others clearly see them. And thus he will go

' Luke xii. 32.

158 PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. [SERsr.

on professing the highest principles and feeHngs,
while bad men scorn him, and insult true religion
in his person.

Do not think I am speaking of one or two men,
when T speak of the scandal which a Christian's
inconsistency brings upon his cause. The Chris-
tian world, so called, what is it practically, but a
witness for Satan rather than a witness for Christ ?
Rightly understood, doubtless the very disobe-
dience of Christians witnesses for Him who will
overcome whenever He is judged. But is there
any antecedent prejudice against religion so great
as that which is occasioned by the lives of its
professors? Let us ever remember, that all who
follow God with but a half heart, strengthen the
hands of His enemies, give cause of exultation to
wicked men, perplex inquirers after truth, and
bring reproach upon their Saviour's name. It is
a known fact, that unbelievers triumphantly main-
tain that the greater part of the English people
is on their side; that the disobedience of pro-
fessing Christians is a proof, that (whatever they
say) yet in their hearts they are unbelievers too.
This we ourselves perhaps have heard said ; and
said, not in the heat of argument, or as a satire,
but in sober earnestness, from real and full per-
suasion that it is true ; that is, the men who
have cast off their Saviour, console themselves
with the idea, that their neighbours, though too
timid or too indolent openly to do so, yet in

X.] PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE. 159

secret, or at least in their real character, do the
same. And witnessing this general inconsistency,
they despise them as unmanly, cowardly, and
slavish, and hate religion as the origin of this
debasement of mind. "The people who in this
country call tliemselves Christians, (says one of
these men,) with few exceptions, are not believers ;
and every man of sense, whose bigotry has not
blinded him, must see that persons who are evi-
dently devoted to worldly gain, or worldly vanities^
or luxurious enjoyments, though still preserving a
little decency, while they 'pretend to believe the
infinitely momentous doctrines of Christianity, are
performers in a miserable farce, which is beneath
contempt." Such are the words of an open enemy
of Christ ; as though he felt he dared confess his
unbelief, and despised the mean hypocrisy of those
around him. His argument, indeed, will not en-
dure the trial of God's judgment at the last day,
for no one is an unbeliever but by his own fault.
But though no excuse for him, it is their con-
demnation. What, indeed, will they plead before
the Throne of God, when, on the revelation of all
hidden deeds, this re viler of religion attributes
his unbelief in a measure to the sight of their
inconsistent conduct ? When he mentions this
action or that conversation, this violent or worldly
conduct, that covetous or unjust transaction, or
that self-indulgent life, as partly the occasion of
his falling away? "Woe unto the world (it is

160 PROFESSION WITHOUT PRACTICE.

written), because of scandals; for it must needs
be that scandals come, but woe to that man hy
whom the scandal comethM" Woe unto the de-
ceiver and self-deceived! "His hope shall perish;
his hope shall be cut off, and his trust shall be
a spider's web : he shall lean upon his house, but it
shall not stand ; he shall hold it fast, but it shall
not endured" God give us grace to flee from this
woe while we have time ! Let us examine our-
selves, to see if there be any wicked way in us; let
us aim at obtaining some comfortable assurance
that we are in the narrow way that leads to life.
And let us pray God to enlighten us, and to guide
us, and to give us the will to please Him, and the
power.

' Matt, xviii. 7. ' Job viii. 13—15.

SERMON XL

PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY.

Galatians iii. 27.

" As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put
on Christ."

It is surely most necessary to beware, as our
Lord solemnly bids us, of the leaven of the Pha-
risees, which is hypocrisy. We may be infected
with it, even though we are not conscious of our
insincerity; for they did not Icnow they were
hypocrites. Nor need we have any definite bad
object plainly before us, for they had none, — only
the vague desire to be seen and honoured by the
world, such as may influence us. So it would
seem, that there are vast multitudes of Pharisaical
hypocrites among baptized Christians; i. e. men
professing without practising. Nay, so far we
may be called hypocritical, one and all; for no
Christian on earth altogether lives^ up to his pro-
fession.

But here some one may ask, whether in saying

VOL. I. M

162 PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. [Seum.

that hypocrisy is professing without practising,
I am not, in fact, overthrowing all external reli-
gion from the foundation, since all creeds, and
prayers, and ordinances, go beyond the real belief
and frame of mind of even the best Christians.
This is even the ground which some men actually
take. They say that it is wrong to baptize, and
call Christians, those who have not yet shown
themselves to be really such. " As many as are
baptized into Christ, put on Christ ;" so says the
text, and these men argue from it, that till we
have actually put on Christ, that is, till we have
given our heart to Christ's service, and in our
degree become holy as He is holy, it can do no
good to be baptized into His name. Rather it is
a great evil, for it is to become hypocrites. Nay,
really humble, well-intentioned men, feel this
about themselves. They shrink from retaining the
blessed titles and privileges which Christ gave
them in infancy, as being unworthy of them ; and
they fear lest they are really hypocrites like
the Pharisees, after all their better thoughts and
exertions.

Now the obvious answer to this mistaken view
of religion is to say, that, on the showing of such
reasoners, no one at all ought to be baptized in any
case, and called a Christian ; for no one acts up to
his baptismal profession ; no one believes, wor-
ships, and obeys duly, the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost, whose servant he is made in baptism.

XI.] PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. 163

And yet the Lord did say, " Go, baptize all
nations ;" clearly showing us, that a man may be a
fit subject for baptism, though he does not in fact
practise every thing that he professes, and there-
fore, that any fears we may have, lest men should
be in some sense like the Pharisees, must not keep
us from making them Christians.

But I shall treat the subject more at length, in
order that we may understand what kind of dis-
obedience is really hypocrisy, and what is not,
lest timid consciences should be frightened. Now
men profess without feeling and doing, or are
hypocrites in nothing so much as in their prayers.
This is plain. Prayer is the most directly reli-
gious of all our duties ; and our falling short of
our duty, is, then, most clearly displayed. There-
fore I will enlarge upon the case of prayer, to
explain what I do 7iot mean by hypocrisy. We
then use the most solemn words, either without
attending to what we are saying, or (even if we do
attend,) without worthily entering into its meaning.
Thus we seem to resemble the Pharisees ; a ques-
tion in consequence arises, whether, this being the
case, we should go on repeating prayers which
evidently do not suit us. The men I just now
spoke of, affirm that we ought to leave them off.
Accordingly, such persons in their own case first
give up the Church prayers, and take to others
which they think will suit them better. Next,
when these disappoint them, they have recourse

M 2

161. PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. [Sicrm.

to what is called extempore prayer; and after-
wards perhaps, discontented in turn with this mode
of addressing Almighty God, and as unable to fix
their thoughts as they were before, they come to
the conclusion that they ought not to pray, except
when specially moved to prayer by the influence of
the Holy Spirit.

Now, in answer to such a manner of reasoning
and acting, I would maintain that no one is to be
reckoned a Pharisee or hypocrite in his prayers
who tries not to be one, — who aims at knowing
and correcting himself, — and who is accustomed to
pray, though not perfectly, yet not indolently or
in a self-satisfied way ; however lamentable his
actual wanderings of mind may be, or, again, how-
ever poorly he enters into the meaning of his
prayers, even when he attends to them.

1. First take the case of not being attentive to
the prayers. Men, it seems, are tempted to leave
off prayers because they cannot follow them, be-
cause they find their thoughts wander when they
repeat them. I answer, that to pray attentively
is a habit. This must ever be kept in mind. No
one begins with having his heart thoroughly in
them ; but by trying, he is enabled to attend
more and more, and at length, after many trials
and a long schooling of himself, to fix his mind
steadily on them. No one (I repeat) begins with
being attentive. Novelty in prayers is the cause
of persons being attentive in the outset, and

XI.] PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. 165

novelty is out of the question in the Church
prayers, for we have heard them from childhood,
and knew them by heart long before we could
understand them. No one, then, when he first
turns his thoughts to religion, finds it easy to
pray ; he is irregular in his religious feelings ; he
prays more earnestly at some times than at others ;
his devotional seasons come by fits and starts;
he cannot account for his state of mind, or reckon
upon himself; he frequently finds that he is more
disposed for prayer at any time and place than
those set apart for the purpose. All this is to be
expected ; for no habit is formed at once ; and
before the flame of religion ^u the heart is purified
and strengthened by long practice and experience,
of course it will be capricious in its motions, it will
flare about (so to say) and flicker, and at times
seem almost to go out.

However, impatient men do not well consider
this ; they overlook or are offended at the necessity
of humble, tedious practice to enable them to
pray attentively, and they account for their cold-
ness and wanderings of thought in any way but
the true one. Sometimes they attribute this in-
equality in their religious feelings to the arbitrary
coming and going of God's Holy Spirit; a most
irreverent and presumptuous judgment, which I
should not mention, except that men do form it,
and therefore it is necessary to state in order to
condemn it. Again, sometimes they think that

166 PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. [Serm.

they shall make themselves attentive all at once
by bringing before their minds the more sacred
doctrines of the Gospel, and thus rousing and con-
straining their souls. This does for a time; but
when the novelty is over, they find themselves
relapsing into their former inattention, vrithout
apparently having made any advance. And others,
again, when discontented with their wanderings
during prayer, lay the fault on the prayers them-
selves as being too long. This is a common ex-
cuse, and I wish to call your attention to it.

If any one alleges the length of the Church
prayers as a reason for his not keeping his mind
fixed upon them, I wopld beg him to ask his con-
science whether he sincerely believes this to be at
bottom the real cause of his inattention ? Does he
think he should attend better if the prayers were
shorter? This is the question he has to consider.
If he answers that he believes he should attend
more closely in that case, then I go on to ask,
whether he attends more closely (as it is^ to the
first part of the service than to the last ; whether
his mind is his own, regularly fixed on what he is
engaged in, for any time in any part of the ser-
vice ? Now, if he is obliged to own that this is
not the case, that his thoughts are wandering in
all parts of the service, and that even during the
Confession, or the Lord's Prayer, which come first,
they are not his own, it is quite clear that it is not
the length of the service which is the real cause

XL] PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. ]67

of his inattention, but his being deficient in the
habit of being attentive. If, on the other hand,
he answers that he can fix his thoughts for a
time, and during the early part of the service,
I would have him reflect that even this degree
of attention was not always his own, that it has
been the work of time and practice ; and, if by
trying he has got so far, by trying he may go on,
and learn to attend for a still longer time, till
at length he is able to keep up his attention
throuorh the whole service.

o

However, I wish chiefly to speak to such as are
dissatisfied with themselves, and despair of at-
tending properly. Let a man once set his heart
upon learning to pray, and strive to learn, and no
failures he may continue to make in his manner
of praying are sufficient to cast him from God's
favour. Let him but persevere, not discouraged
at his wanderings, not frightened into a notion he
is a hypocrite, not shrinking from the honourable
titles which God puts on him. Doubtless he
should be humbled at his own weakness, indo-
lence, and carelessness ; and he should feel (he
cannot feel too much) the guilt, alas ! which he is
ever contracting in his prayers by the irreverence
of his inattention. Still he must not leave off his
prayers, but go on looking towards Christ his
Saviour. Let him but be in earnest, striving to
master his thoughts, and to be serious, and all
the guilt of his incidental failings will be washed

168 PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. [Sebm.

away in his Lord's blood. Only let him not be
contented with himself; only let him not neglect
to attempt to obey. What a simple rule it is, to
try to be attentive in order to be so ! and yet it
is continually overlooked; that is, we do not
systematically try, we do not make a point of
attempting and attempting over and over again
in spite of bad success ; we attempt only now and
then, and our best devotion is merely when our
hearts are excited by some accident which may
or may not happen again.

So much on inattention to our prayers, which,
I say, should not surprise or frighten us, which
does not prove us to be hypocrites unless we
acquiesce in it; or oblige us to leave them off,
but rather to learn to attend to them.

2. I proceed, secondly, to remark on the diffi-
culty of entering into the meaning of them, when
we do attend to them.

Here a tender conscience will ask, " How is it
possible I can rightly use the solemn words which
occur in the prayers ?" A tender conscience alone
speaks thus. Those confident objectors whom I
spoke of just now, who maintain that set prayer
is necessarily a mere formal service in the gene-
rality of instances, a service in which the heart
has no part, they are silent here. They do not
feel this difficulty, which is the real one ; they
use the most serious and awful words lightly and
without remorse, as if they really entered into the

XI.] PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. 169

meaning of what is, in truth, beyond the intelli-
ijence of Angels. But the humble and contrite
believer, coming to Christ for pardon and help,
perceives the great strait he is in, in having to
address the God of heaven. This perplexity of
mind it was which led convinced sinners in former
times to seek refuge in beings short of God ; not
as denying God's supremacy, or shunning Him,
but discerning the vast distance between them-
selves and Him, and seeking some resting places
by the way, some Zoar, some little city near to flee
unto^ because of the height of God's mountain,
up which the way of escape lay. And then
gradually becoming devoted to those whom they
trusted, Saints, Angels, or good men living, and
copying them, their faith had a fall, and their
virtue trailed upon the ground, for want of props to
rear it heavenward. We Christians, sinners though
we be like other men, are not allowed thus to
debase our nature, or to defraud ourselves of
God's mercy ; and though it be very terrible to
speak to the living God, yet speak w^e must, or
die; tell our sorrows we must, or there is no
hope; for created mediators and patrons are for-
bidden us, and to trust in an arm of flesh is made
a sin.

Therefore let a man reflect, whoever from ten-
derness of conscience shuns the Church as above

' Gen. xix. 20.

170 PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. [Serm.

him, (whether he shuns her services, or her sacra-
ments,) that, awful as it is to approach Christ, to
speak to Him, to "eat His flesh and drink His
blood," and to live in Him, to whom shall he go ?
See what it comes to. Christ is the only way of
salvation open to sinners. Truly we are children,
and cannot suitably feel the words which the
Church teaches us, though we say them after her,
nor feel duly reverent at God's presence ! Yet
let us but know our own ignorance and weakness,
and we are safe. God accepts those who thus
come in faith, bringing nothing as their offering,
but a confession of sin. And this is the highest
excellence to which we ordinarily attain ; to under-
stand our own hypocrisy, insincerity, and shallow-
ness of mind, — to own, while we pray, that we
cannot pray aright, — to repent of our repentings, —
and to submit ourselves wholly to His judgment,
who could indeed be extreme with us, but has
already shown His loving-kindness in bidding us to
pray. And, while we thus conduct ourselves, we
must learn to feel that God knows all this before
we say it, and far better than we do. He does not
need to be informed of our extreme worthlessness.
We must pray in the spirit and the temper of the
extremest abasement, but we need not search for
adequate words to express this, for in truth no
words are bad enough for our case. Some men
are dissatisfied with the confessions of sin we
make in Church, as not being strong enough ;

XI.] PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. 171

but none can be strong enough ; let us be satisfied
with sober words, which have been ever in use ; it
will be a great thing if we enter into them. No
need of searching for impassioned words to express
our repentance, when we do not rightly enter even
into the most ordinary expressions.

Therefore, when we pray let us not be as the
hypocrites, making a show ; nor use vain repeti-
tions with the heathen ; let us compose ourselves,
and kneel down quietly as to a work far above us,
preparing our minds for our own imperfection in
prayer, meekly repeating the wonderful words of
the Church our Teacher, and desiring with the
Angels to look into them. When we call God
our Father Almighty, or own ourselves miserable
offenders, and beg Him to spare us, let us recol-
lect that, though we are using a strange language,
yet Christ is pleading for us in the same words
with full understanding of them, and availing
power; and that, though we know not what we
should pray for as we ought, yet the Spirit itself
maketh intercession for us with plaints unutterable.
Thus feeling God to be around us and in us, and
therefore keeping ourselves still and collected, we
shall serve Him acceptably, with reverence and
godly fear; and we shall take back with us to
our common employments the assurance that He
is still gracious to us, in spite of our sins, not
willing we should perish, desirous of our perfec-
tion, and ready to form us day by day after the

172 PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. [Sekm.

fashion of that divine image which in baptism was
outwardly stamped upon us.

I have spoken only of our prayers, and but
referred to our general profession of Christianity.
It is plain, however, what has been said about
praying, may be applied to all we do and say as
Christians. It is true that we profess to be saints,
to be guided by the highest principles, and to be
ruled by the Spirit of God. We have long ago
promised to believe and obey. It is also true
that we cannot do these things aright; nay, even
with God's help, (such is our sinful weakness,) still
we fall short of our duty. Nevertheless we must
not cease to profess. We must not put off from
us the wedding garment which Christ gave us in
baptism. We may still rejoice in Him without
being hypocrites, that is, if we labour day by day
to make that wedding garment our own ; to fix it
on us and so incorporate it with ourselves, that
death, which strips us of all things, may be unable
to tear it from us, though as yet it be in great
measure but an outward garb, covering our own
nakedness.

I conclude by reminding you, how great God's
mercy is in allowing us to clothe ourselves in the
glory of Christ from the first, even before we are
worthy' of it. I suppose there is nothing so dis-
tressing to a true Christian as to have to prove

' Matt. xxii. 8. Col. i. 10.

XL] PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. 173

himself such to others ; both as being conscious
of his own numberless failings, and from his dis-
like of display. Now Christ has anticipated the
difficulties of his modesty. He does not allow
such an one to speak for himself; He speaks for
him. He introduces each of us to his brethren,
not as we are in ourselves, fit to be despised and
rejected on account of " the temptations which
are in our flesh," but " as messengers of God, even
as Christ Jesus." It is our happiness that we need
bring nothing in proof of our fellowship with Chris-
tians, besides our baptism. This is what a great
many persons do not understand ; they think that
none are to be accounted fellow-Christians but
those who evidence themselves to be such to their
fallible understandings ; and hence they encourage
others, who wish for their praise, to practise all
kinds of display, as a seal of their regeneration.
Who can tell the harm this does to the true
modesty of the Christian spirit ? Instead of using
the words of the Church, and speaking to God,
men are led to use their own words, and make
man their judge and justifier^ They think it
necessary to tell out their secret feelings, and to
enlarge on what God has done to their own
souls in particular. And thus making themselves
really answerable for all the words they use, which
are altogether their own, they do in this case be-

' 1 Cor. iv. 3—5.

174 PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. [Serm.

come hypocrites ; they do say more than they can
in reality feel. Of course a religious man will na-
turally, and unawares, out of the very fulness of
his heart, show his deep feeling and his conscien-
tiousness to his near friends; but when to do so
is made a matter of necessity, an object to be aimed
at, and is an intentional act, then it is that hypo-
crisy must, more or less, sully our faith. "As
many of you as have been baptized into Christ,
have put on Christ;" this is the Apostle's de-
cision. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there
is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor
female ; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." The
Church follows this rule, and bidding us keep quiet,
speaks for us ; robes us from head to foot in the
garments of righteousness, and exhorts us to live
henceforth to God. But the disputer of this world
reverses this procedure; he strips off all our pri-
vileges, bids us renounce our dependance on the
Mother of saints, tells us we must each be a Church
to himself, and must show himself to the world
to be by himself and in himself the elect of God,
in order to prove his right to the privileges of a
Christian.

Far be it from us thus to fight against God's
gracious purposes to man, and to make the weak
brother perish, for whom Christ died ' ! Let us
acknowledge all to be Christians, who have not

* 1 Cor. viii. 11.

XI.] PROFESSION WITHOUT HYPOCRISY. 175

by open word or deed renounced their fellowship
with us, and let us try to lead them on into all
truth. And for ourselves, let us endeavour to enter
more and more fully into the meaning of our own
prayers and professions; let us humble ourselves
for the very little we do, and the poor advance we
make ; let us avoid unnecessary display of religion ;
let us do our duty in that state of life to which
God has called us. Thus proceeding, we shall,
through God's grace, form within us the glorious
mind of Christ. Whether rich or poor, learned or
unlearned, walking by this rule, we shall become, at
length, true saints, sons of God. We shall be
upright and perfect, lights in the world, the image
of Him who died that we might be conformed to
His likeness.

SERMON XII.

PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION.

Matthew v. 14.

" Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill
cannot be hid."

Our Saviour gives us a command, in this passage
of His Sermon on the Mount, to manifest our
religious profession before all men. " Ye are the
light of the world," He says to His disciples ; " A
city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither
do men light a candle and put it under a bushel,
but on a candlestick ; and it giveth light unto all
that are in the house. Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Yet
presently He says, " When thou doest alms . . .
when thou prayest . . . when ye fast . . . appear
not unto men . . . but unto thy Father which is
in secret'." How ar^ these commands to be re-

' Matt. vi. 2—18.

PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION. 177

conciled ? how are we at once to profess ourselves
Christians, and yet hide our Christian words, deeds,
and self-denials?

I will now attempt to answer this question ;
that is, to explain how we may be witnesses to
the world for God, and yet without pretension or
affectation, or rude and indecent ostentation.

1. Now, first, much might be said on that
mode of witnessing Christ which consists in con-
forming to His Church. He who simply did what
the Church bids him do, (if he did no more,)
would witness a good confession to the world, and
one which cannot be hid ; and at the same time,
with very little, if any, personal display. He
does only what he is told to do ; he takes no
responsibility on himself. The Apostles and Mar-
tyrs who founded the Church, the Saints in all
ages who have adorned it, the Heads of it now
alive, all these take from him the weight of his
profession, and bear the blame (so to call it) of
seeming ostentatious. I do not say, that irreli-
gious men will not call such an one boastful, or
austere, or a hypocrite; that is not the question.
The question is, whether in God's judgment he
deserves the censure; whether he is not as Christ
would have him, really and truly (whatever the
world may say) joining humility to a bold out-
ward profession ; whether he is not, in thus acting,
preaching Christ without hurting his own pure-
ness, gentleness, and modesty of character. If

VOL. I. N

178 PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION. [Sebm.

indeed a man stands forth on his own ground,
declaring himself as an individual a witness for
Christ, then indeed he is grieving and disturbing
the calm spirit given us by God. But God's
merciful providence has saved us this temptation,
and forbidden us to admit it. He bids us unite
together in one, and to shelter our personal pro-
fession under the authority of the general body.
Thus, vrhile we show ourselves as lights to the
world far more effectively than if we glimmered
separately in the lone wilderness without com-
munication, at the same time we do so with far
greater secrecy and humility. Therefore it is,
that the Church does so many things for us,
appoints Fasts and Feasts, times of public prayer,
the order of the sacraments, the services of devo-
tion at marriages and deaths, and all accom-
panied by a fixed form of sound words ; in order
(I say) to remove from us individually the burden
of a high profession, of implying great things of
ourselves by inventing for ourselves solemn prayers
and praises, — a task far above the generality of
Christians, to say the least, a task which humble
men will shrink from, lest they prove hypocrites,
and which will hurt those who do undertake it, by
making them rude-spirited and profane. I am
desirous of speaking on this subject as a matter
of practice ; for I am sure, that if we wish really
and in fact to spread the knowledge of the Truth,
we shall do so far more powerfully as weU as

XII.] PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION! 179

purely, by keeping together, than by witnessing
one by one. Men are to be seen adopting all kinds
of strange ways of giving glory (as they think) to
God. If they would but follow the Church ; come
together in prayer on Sundays and Saints' days,
nay, every day; honour the rubric by keeping to
it obediently, and conforming their families to the
spirit of the Prayer-book, I say, that on the whole
they would practically do vastly more good than
by trying new religious plans, founding new reli-
gious societies, or striking out new religious views.
I put out of account the greater blessing they
might expect to find in the way of duty, which is
the first consideration.

2. One way of professing without display has
been mentioned; — obeying the Church. Now in
the next place, consider how great a profession,
and yet a profession how unconscious and modest,
arises from the mere ordinary manner in which
any strict Christian lives. Let this thought be a
satisfaction to uneasy minds which fear lest they
are not confessing Christ, yet dread to display.
Your life displays Christ without your intending
it. You cannot help it. Your words and deeds
will show on the long run (as it is said), where
your treasure is, and your heart. Out of the
abundance of your heart your mouth speaketh
words "seasoned with salt." We sometimes find
men who aim at doing their duty in the common
course of life, surprised to hear that they are

N 2

180 PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION. [Skrm.

ridiculed, and called hard names by careless or
worldly persons. This is as it should be ; it is as
it should be, that they are surprised at it. If a
private Christian sets out with expecting to make
a disturbance in the world, the fear is, lest he be
not so humble-minded as he should be. But
those who go on quietly in the way of obedience,
and yet are detected by the keen eye of the jealous,
self-condemning, yet proud world, and who, on
discovering their situation, first shrink from it and
are distrest, then look to see if they have done
aught wrongly, and after all are sorry for it, and
but slowly and very timidly (if at all) learn to
rejoice in it, these are Christ's flock. These are
they who follow Him who was meek and lowly
of heart, His elect, in whom He sees His own
imagfe reflected. Consider how such men show
forth their light in a wicked world, yet uncon-
sciously. Moses came down from the mount, and
"wist not that the skin of his face shone" as
one who had held intercourse with God. But
"when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw
Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone ; and
they were afraid to come nigh him^" Who can
estimate the power of our separate words spoken
in season ! How many of them are recollected
and cherished by this person or that which we
have forgotten, and bear fruit ! How do our good

' Exod. xxxiv. 29, 30.

XII.] PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION. 181

deeds excite others to rivalry in a good cause, as
the Angels perceive though we do not ! How are
men thinking of us we never heard of, or saw but
once, and in far countries unknown ! Let us for
a moment view this pleasing side of our doings, as
well as the sad prospect of our evil communications.
Doubtless, our prayers and alms are rising as a
sweet sacrifice, pleasing to God ^ ; and pleasing to
Him, not only as an oflSce of devotion, but of
charity towards all men. Our businesses and our
amusements, our joys and our sorrows, our opinions,
tastes, studies, views, and principles, are drawn
one way, heavenward. Be we high or low, in
our place we can serve, and in consequence glorify
Him who died for us. " A little maid," who was
"brought away captive out of the land of Israel,
and waited on Naaman's wife ^," pointed out to the
great captain of the host of the king of Syria
the means of recovery from his leprosy, and "his
servants " spoke good words to him afterwards, and
brought him back to his reason when he would
have rejected the mode of cure which the prophet
prescribed. This may quiet impatient minds, and
console the over-scrupulous conscience. " Wait on
God and be doing good," and you must, you cannot
but be showing your light before men as a city on
a hill.

3. Still it is quite true that there are circum-

'Acts X. 4. * 2 Kings V. 2.

182 PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION. [Seem.

stances under which a Christian is bound openly
to express his opinion on religious subjects and
matters ; and this is the real difficulty ; viz. how to
do so without display. As a man's place in society
is here or there, so is it more or less his duty to
speak his mind freely. We must never coun-
tenance sin and error. Now the more obvious
and modest way of discountenancing evil is by
silence, and by separating from it; for example,
we are bound to keep aloof from deliberate and
open sinners. St. Paul expressly tells us, " nor
to keep company, if any man that is called a
brother (i. e. a' Christian) be a fornicator, or covet-
ous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard,
or an extortioner ; with such an one no not to
eat^" And St. John gives us the like advice with
respect to heretics. "If there come any unto
you, and bring not this doctrine, (i. e. the true
doctrine of Christ,) receive him not into your
house, neither bid him God speed ; for he that
biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil
deeds ^" It is plain that such conduct on our part
requires no great display, for it is but conforming
to the rules of the Church ; though it is often diffi-
cult to know on what occasions we ought to adopt
it, which is another question.

A more difficult duty is that of passing judg-
ment (as a Christian is often bound to do,) on

' 1 Cor. V. 11. '2 John 10, 11.

XIL] PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION. 183

events of the day and public men. It becomes
his duty, in proportion as he has station and
influence in the community, in order that he may
persuade others to think as he does. Above all,
clergymen are bound to form and pronounce an
opinion. It is sometimes said in familiar lan-
guage, that a clergyman should have nothing to
do with politics. This is true, if it be meant that
he should not aim at secular objects, should not
side with a political party as such, should not be
ambitious of popular applause, or the favour of
great men, should not take pleasure and lose time
in business of this world, should not be covet-
ous. But if it means that he should not express
an opinion and exert an influence one way rather
than another, it is plainly unscriptural. Did not
the Apostles, with all their reverence for the tem-
poral power, whether Jewish or Roman, and all
their separation from worldly ambition, did they
not still denounce their rulers as wicked men, who
had crucified and slain the Lord's Christ ^ ? and
would they have been as a city on a hill if they
had not done so ? If, indeed, this world's con-
cerns could be altogether disjoined from those
of Christ's kingdom, then indeed all Christians
(laymen as well as clergy,) should abstain from
the thought of temporal affairs, and let the
worthless world pass down the stream of events

• Actsii. 23. iii. 13—17. iv. 27. xiii. 27.

184 PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION. [Serm.

till it perishes ; but if (as is the case,) what hap-
pens in nations must affect the cause of religion
in those nations, since the Church may be seduced
and corrupted by the world, and in the world
there are myriads of souls to be converted and
saved, and since a Christian nation is bound to
become part of the Church, therefore it is our
duty to stand as a beacon on a hill, to cry aloud
and spare not, to lift up our voice like a trumpet,
and show the people their transgression, and the
house of Jacob their sins \ And all this may be
done without injury to our Christian gentleness
and humbleness, though it is difficult to do it. We
need not be angry nor use contentious words, and
yet may firmly give our opinion, in proportion as
we have the means of forming one, and be zealous
towards God in all active good service, and scru-
pulously and pointedly keep aloof from the bad
men whose evil arts we fear.

Another and still more difficult duty is that of
personally rebuking those we meet with in the
intercourse of life who sin in word or deed, and
testifying before them in Christ's name; that is,
it is difficult at once to be unassuming and zeal-
ous in such cases. We know it is a plain and re-
peated precept of Christ to tell others of their
faults for charity's sake; but how is this to be
done without seeming, nay, without being arro-

' Isa. Iviii. 1.

I

XII.] PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION. 185

gant and severe? There are persons who are
anxious to do their duty to the full, who fear that
they are deficient in this particular branch of it,
and deficient from a blameable backwardness, and
the dread of giving offence ; yet, on the other
hand, they feel the painfulness of rebuking an-
other, and (to use a common word,) the awkward-
ness of it. Such persons must consider that,
though to rebuke is a duty, it is not a duty be-
longing at once to all men; and the perplexity
which is felt about it often arises from the very
impropriety of attempting it in the particular
case. It is improper, as a general rule, in the
young to witness before the old, otherwise than
by their silence. Still more improper is it in
inferiors to rebuke their superiors ; for instance,
a child his parent, of course; or a private per-
son his natural and divinely appointed governor.
When we assume a character not suited to us,
of course we feel awkward ; and althoush we
may have done so in honesty and zeal (however
ill-tutored), and so God may in mercy accept our
service, still He, at the same time, rebukes us by
our very feeling of perplexity and shame. — As for
such as rudely blame another, and that a supe-
rior, and feel no pain at doing so, I have nothing
to say to such men, except to express my earnest
desire that they may be led into a more Christian
frame of mind. They do not even feel the diffi-
culty of witnessing for God without display.

186 PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION. [Sehm.

It is to be considered, too, that to do the part
of a witness for the truth, to warn and rebuke, is
not an elementary duty of a Christian. I mean,
that our duties come in a certain order, some
before others, and that this is not one of the first
of them. Our first duties are to repent and be-
lieve. It would be strange, indeed, for a man,
who had just begun to think of religion, to set up
for " some great one," to assume he was a saint
and a witness, and to exhort others to turn to
God. This is evident. But as time goes on,
and his religious character becomes formed, then,
while he goes on to perfection in all his duties,
he takes upon himself, in the number of these,
to witness for God by word of mouth. It is difl&-
cult to say, when a man has leave openly to rebuke
others ; certainly not before he has considerable
humility ; the test of which may be the absence
of a feeling of triumph in doing it, a consciousness
that he is no better by nature than the person he
witnesses before, and that his actual sins are such
as to deserve a severe rebuke were they known
to the world ; a love towards the person reproved,
and a willingness to submit to deserved censure
in his turn. In all this I am speaking of laymen.
It is a clergyman's duty to rebuke by virtue of
his oflfice. And then, after all, supposing it be
clearly our duty to manifest our religious profes-
sion in this pointed way before another, in order
to do so modestly we must do so kindly and

XII.] PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION. 187

cheerfully, as gently as we can ; doing it as little
as we can help; not making matters worse than
they are, or showing our whole Christian stature
(or what we think to be such), when we need but
put out a hand (so to say) or give a glance. And
above all, (as I have already said,) acting as if we
thought, nay really thinking, that it may be the
offender's turn some day to rebuke us ; not putting
ourselves above him, feeling our great imperfec-
tions, and desirous he should rebuke us, should
occasion require it, and in prospect thanking him ;
acting, that is, in the spirit in which you warn a
man in walking against rugged ground, which may
cause him a fall, thinking him bound by your
friendly conduct, to do the like favour to you. As
to grave occasions of witnessing Christ, they will
seldom occur, except a man thrust himself into
society where he never ought to have been, by
neglecting the rule, " come ye out, and be sepa-
rate;" and then he has scarcely the right to re-
buke, having committed the first fault himself.
This is another cause of our perplexity in witness-
ing Christ before the world. We make friends of
the sinful, and then they have the advantage over
us.

To conclude. — The question is often raised,
whether a man can do his duty simply and quietly,
without being thought ostentatious by the world.
It is no great matter to himself whether he is
thought so or not, if he has not provoked the

188 PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION. [Serm.

opinion. As a general rule, I would say the Church
itself is always hated and calumniated by the world,
as being in duty bound to make a bold profession.
But whether individual members of the Church are
so treated, depends on various circumstances in the
case of each. There are persons, who, though very
strict and conscientious Christians, are yet praised
by the world. These are such, as having great
meekness and humility, are not so prominent in
station or so practically connected with the world
as to offend it. Men admire religion, while they
can gaze on it as a picture. They think it lovely
in books; and as long as they can look upon
Christians at a distance, they speak well of them.
The Jews in Christ's time built the sepulchres of
the prophets whom their fathers killed ; then they
themselves killed the Just One. They " reverenced"
the Son of God before He came, but when their
passions and interests were stirred by His coming,
then they said, " This is the Heir ; come, let us kill
Him, and the inheritance shall be ours'." Thus
Christians in active life thwarting (as they do) the
pride and selfishness of the world, are disliked by
the world, and have " all manner of evil said against
them falsely for Christ's sake^" Still, even under
these circumstances, though they must not shrink
from the attack on a personal account, it is still
their duty to shelter themselves, as far as they can,

1 Markxii. 7. ' Matt. v. 11.

XII.] PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION. 189

under the name and authority of the Holy Church ;
to keep to its ordinances and rules ; and, if they are
called to suffer for the Church, rather to be drawn
forward to the suffering in the common course of
duty, than boldly to take upon them the task of
defending it. There is no cowardice in this. Some
men are placed in posts of danger, and to these
danger comes in the way of duty ; but others must
not intrude into their honourable office. Thus in
the first age of the Gospel, our Lord told His
followers to fly from city to city, when persecuted ;
and even the heads of the Church, in the early
persecutions, instead of exposing themselves to the
fury of the heathen, did their utmost to avoid it.
We are a suffering people from the first; but
while, on the one hand, we do not defend ourselves
illegally, we do not court suffering on the other.
We must witness and glorify God, as lights on a
hill, through evil report and good report ; but the
evil and the good report is not so much of our own
making as the natural consequence of our Christian
profession.

Who can tell God's will concerning this tumul-
tuous world, or how He will dispose of it ? He is
tossing it hither and thither in His fury, and in its
agitation He troubles His own people also. Only,
this we know for our comfort. Our light shall
never go down ; Christ set it upon a hill, and hell
shall not prevail against it. The Church will wit-
ness on to the last for the Truth, chained indeed to

190 PROFESSION WITHOUT OSTENTATION.

this world, its evil partner, but ever foretelling its
ruin, though not believed, and in the end promised
a far different recompense. For in the end the
Lord Omnipotent shall reign, when the marriage of
the Lamb shall come at length, and His wife shall
make herself ready ; and to her shall be granted
" fine linen, clean and white ; for the fine linen is
the righteousness of saints'." True and righteous
are His judgments ; He shall cast death and hell
into the lake of fire, and avenge His own elect
which cry day and night unto Him !

"Blessed are they which are called unto the
marriage supper of the Lamb." May all we be
in the number, confessing Christ in this world,
that He may confess us before His Father in the
last day !

' Rev. xix. 6—8.

SERMON XIII.

PROMISING WITHOUT DOING.

Matthew xxi. 28 — 30.

" A certain man had two sons ; and he came to the first, and
said, Son, go work to-day in my vineyard. He answered
and said, I will not ; but afterward he repented, and went.
And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he
answered and said, I go. Sir; and went not."

Our religious professions are at a far greater
distance from our acting upon them, than we our-
selves are aware. We know generally that it is
our duty to serve God, and we resolve we will do
so faithfully. We are sincere in thus generally
desiring and purposing to be obedient, and we
think we are in earnest ; yet we go away, and pre-
sently, without any struggle of mind or apparent
change of purpose, almost without knowing our-
selves what we do, — we go away and do the very
contrary to the resolution we have expressed.
This inconsistency is exposed by our Blessed
Lord in the second part of the parable which I

192 PROMISING WITHOUT DOING. [Serm.

have taken for my text. You will observe, that
in the case of the first son, who said he would not
go work, and yet did go, it is said, " afterward he
repented;" he underwent a positive change of
purpose. But in the case of the second, it is
merely said, " he answered, I go, Sir ; and went
not ; " — for here there was no revolution of senti-
ment, nothing deliberate ; he merely acted accord-
ing to his habitual frame of mind ; he did not go
work, because it was contrary to his general cha-
racter to work ; only he did not know this. He
said, " I go. Sir," sincerely, from the feeling of
the moment ; but when the words were out of his
mouth, then they were forgotten. It was like the
wind blowing against a stream, which seems for a
moment to change its course in consequence, but
in fact flows down as before.

To this subject I shall now call your attention,
as drawn from the latter part of this parable,
passing over the case of the repentant son, which
would form a distinct subject in itself. " He an-
swered and said, I go. Sir ; and went not." We
promise to serve God, we do not perform ; and
that, not from deliberate faithlessness in the par-
ticular case, but because it is our nature, our way
not to obey, and we do not know this ; we do not
know ourselves, or what we are promising. — I
will give several instances of this kind of weak-
ness.

1. For instance; that of mistaking good feelings

XIII.] PROMISING WITHOUT DOING. 193

for real religious principle. Consider how often
this takes place. It is the case with the young
necessarily, who have not been exposed to tempt-
ation. They have (we will say) been brought up
religiously, they wish to be religious, and so are
objects of our love and interest; but they think
themselves far more religious than they really are.
They suppose they hate sin, and understand the
Truth, and can resist the world, when they hardly
know the meaning of the words they use. Again,
how often is a man incited by circumstances to
utter a virtuous wish, or propose a generous or
valiant deed, and perhaps applauds himself for his
own good feeling, and has no suspicion that he is
not able to act upon it ! In truth, he does not
understand where the real difficulty of his duty
lies. He thinks that the characteristic of a re-
ligious man is his having correct notions. It
escapes him that there is a great interval between
feeling and acting. He takes it for granted he
can do what he wishes. He knows he is a free
agent, and can on the whole do what he will ; but
he is not conscious of the load of corrupt nature
and sinful habits which hang upon his will, and
clog it in each particular exercise of it. He has
borne these so long, that he is insensible to their
existence. - He knows that in little things, where
passion and inclination are excluded, he can per-
form as soon as he resolves. Should he meet in
his walk two paths, to the right and left, he is

VOL. I. O

194 PROMISING WITHOUT DOING. [Serm.

sure he can take which he will at once, without
any difficulty; and he fancies that obedience to
God is not much more difficult than to turn to
the right instead of the left.

2. One especial case of this self-deception is
seen in delaying repentance. A man says to him-
self, " Of course, if the worst comes to the worst,
if illness comes, or at least old age, I can repent."
I do not speak of the dreadful presumption of
such a mode of quieting conscience, (though many
persons really use it who do not speak the words
out, or are aware that they act upon it,) but,
merely, the ignorance it evidences concerning our
moral condition, and our power of willing and
doing. If men can repent, why do they not do
so at once? they answer, that "they intend to
do so hereafter;" i. e. they do not repent be-
cause they can. Such is their argument ; where-
as, the very fact that they do not now, should
make them suspect that there is a greater differ-
ence between intending and doing than they
know of.

So very difficult is obedience, so hardly won is
every step in our Christian course, so sluggish
and inert our corrupt nature, that I would have
a man disbelieve he can do one jot or tittle
beyond what he has already done ; refrain from
borrowing aught on the hope of the future, how-
ever good a security for it he seems to be able to
show; and never take his good feelings and

XIII.] PROMISING WITHOUT DOING. 195

wishes in pledge for one single untried deed.
Nothing but past acts are the vouchers for future.
Past sacrifices, past labours, past victories over
yourselves, — these, my brethren, are the tokens of
the like in store ; and doubtless of greater in store,
for the path of the just is as the shining, growing
light '. But trust nothing short of these. " Deeds,
not words and wishes," this must be the watch-
word of your warfare and the ground of your as-
surance. But if you have done nothing firm and
manly hitherto, if you are as yet the coward
slave of Satan, and the poor creature of your
lusts and passions, never suppose you will one
day rouse yourselves from your indolence. Alas !
there are men who walk the road to hell, always
the while looking back at heaven, and trembling
as they pace forward towards their place of doom.
They hasten on as under a spell, shrinking from
the consequences of their own deliberate doings.
Such was Balaam. What would he have given
if words and feelings might have passed for
deeds! See how religious he was so far as pro-
fession goes ! How did he revere God in speech !
How piously express a desire to die the death of
the righteous ! Yet he died in battle among God's
enemies; not suddenly overcome by temptation,
only on the other hand, not suddenly turned to
God by his good thoughts and fair purposes. But

' Prov. iv. 18.

o2

19G PROMISING WITHOUT DOING. [Skhm.

in this respect the power of sin differs from any
literal spell or fascination, that we are, after all,
willing slaves of it, and shall answer for following it.
If " our iniquities, like the wind, take us away V'
yet we can help this.

Nor is it only among beginners in religious
obedience that there is this great interval between
promising and performing. We can never answer
how we shall act under new circumstances. A
very little knowledge of life and of our own hearts
will teach us this. Men whom we meet in the
world turn out, in the course of their trial, so
differently from what their former conduct pro-
mised, they view things so differently before they
were tempted and ajler, that we, who see and won-
der at it, have abundant cause to look to ourselves,
not to be " high-minded " but to " fear." Even
the most matured saints, those who imbibed in
largest measure the power and fulness of Christ's
Spirit, and worked righteousness most diligently
in their day, could they have been thoroughly
scanned even by man, would (I am persuaded)
have exhibited inconsistencies such as to surprise
and shock their most ardent disciples. After all,
one good deed is scarcely the pledge of another,
though I just now said it was. The best men
are uncertain ; they are great, and they are little
again ; they stand firm, and then fall. Such is

' Isaiah Ixiv. 6.

X[II.] PROMISING WITHOUT DOING. 197

human virtue ; — reminding us to call no one
Master on earth, but to look up to our sinless and
perfect Lord; reminding us to humble ourselves
each within himself, and to reflect what we must
appear to God, if even to ourselves and each other
we seem so base and worthless ; and showing
clearly that all who are saved, even the least in-
consistent of us, can be saved only by faith, not
by works.

3. Here I am reminded of another plausible
form of the same error. It is a mistake concern-
ing what is meant by faith. We know Scripture
tells us that God accepts those who have faith in
Him. Now the question is. What is faith, and
how can a man tell that he has faith ? Some
persons answer at once and without hesitation,
that " to have faith, is to feel oneself to be
nothing, and God every thing ; it is to be con-
vinced of sin, to be conscious one cannot save
oneself, and to wish to be saved by Christ our
Lord ; and that it is moreover to have the love
of Him warm in one's heart, and to rejoice in
Him, to desire His glory, and to resolve to live
to Him and not to the world." But I will answer,
with all due seriousness, as speaking on a serious
subject, that this is not faith. Not that it is not
necessary (it is very necessary) to be convinced,
that we are laden with infirmity and sin, and
without health in us, and to look for salvation
solely to Christ's blessed sacrifice on the cross;

198 PROMISING WITHOUT DOING. [Serm.

and we may well be thankful if we are thus
minded ; but that a man may feel all this that I
have described, vividly, and still not yet possess
one particle of true religious faith. Why? Be-
cause there is an immeasurable distance between
feeling right and doing right. A man may have
all these good thoughts and emotions, yet (if he
has not yet hazarded them to the experiment of
practice,) he cannot promise himself that he has
any sound and permanent principle at all. If he
has not yet acted upon them, we have no voucher,
barely on account of them to believe that they are
any thing but words. Though a man spoke like
an angel, I would not believe him, on the mere
ground of his speaking. Nay, till he acts upon
them, he has not even evidence to himself, that
he has true living faith. Dead faith (as St.
James says,) profits no man. Of course ; the
Devils have it. What, on the other hand, is
living faith ? Do fervent thoughts make faith
living f St. James tells us otherwise. He tells
us works, deeds of obedience, are the life of faith.
" As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith
without works is dead also '." So that those
who think they really believe, because they have
in word and thought surrendered themselves to
God, are much too hasty in their judgment.
They have done something, indeed, but not at all
the "^ most difficult part of their duty, which is to
' James ii. 26.

XIII.] PROMISING WITHOUT DOING. 199

surrender themselves to God in deed and act.
They have as yet done nothing to show they will
not, after saying " I go," the next moment " go
not ;" nothing to show they will not act the part
of the self-deceiving disciple, who said, "Though
I die with Thee, I will not deny Thee ;" yet
straightway went and denied Christ thrice. As
far as we know any thing of the matter, justifying
faith has no existence independent of its par-
ticular definite acts. It may be described to be
the temper under which men obey; the humble
and earnest desire to please Christ which causes
and attends on actual services. He who does
one little deed of obedience, whether he denies
himself some comfort to relieve the sick and
needy, or curbs his temper, or forgives an enemy,
or asks forgiveness for an offence committed by
him, or resists the clamour or ridicule of the
world, such an one (as far as we are given to
judge) evinces more true faith than could be
shown by the most fluent religious conversation,
the most intimate knowledge of Scripture doc-
trine, or the most remarkable agitation and change
of religious sentiments. Yet how many are there
who sit still with folded hands, dreaming, doing
nothing at all, thinking they have done every
thing, or need do nothing, when they merely
have had these good thoughts^ which will save no
one !

200 PROMISING WITHOUT DOING. [Serm.

My object has been, as far as a few words can
do it, to lead you to some true notion of the
depths and deceitfulness of the heart, which we
do not really know. It is easy to speak of human
nature as corrupt in the general, to admit it in
the general, and then get quit of the subject ; as
if the doctrine being once admitted, there was
nothing more to be done with it. But in truth
we can have no real apprehension of the doctrine
of our corruption, till we view the structure of
our minds, part by part ; and dwell upon and
draw out the signs of our weakness, inconsistency,
and ungodliness, which are such as can arise from
nothing but some strange original defect in our
moral nature.

1. Now it will be well if such self-examination
as I have suggested leads us to the habit of con-
stant dependence upon the Unseen God, in whom
"we live and move and have our being." We
are in the dark about ourselves. When we act,
we are groping in the dark, and may meet with
a fall any moment. Here and there, perhaps,
we see a little ; — or, in our attempts to influence
and move our minds, we are making experiments
(as it were) with some delicate and dangerous
instrument, which works, we do not know how,
and may produce unexpected and disastrous effects.
The management of our heart is quite above us.
Under these circumstances it becomes our comfort

XIII.] PROMISING WITHOUT DOING. 501

to look up to God. "Thou, God, seest me!"
Such was the consolation of the forlorn ^agar
in the wilderness. He knoweth whereof we are
made, and He alone can uphold us. He sees
with most appalling distinctness all our sins, all
the windings and recesses of evil within us ; yet
it is our only comfort to know this, and to trust
Him for help against ourselves. To those who
have a right notion of their weakness, the thought
of their Almighty Sanctifier and Guide is con-
tinually present. They believe in the necessity
of a spiritual influence to change and strengthen
them, not as a mere abstract doctrine, but as a
practical and most consolatory truth, daily to be
fulfilled in their warfare with sin and Satan.

2. And this conviction of our excessive weak-
ness must further lead us to try ourselves con-
tinually in little things, in order to prove our own
earnestness ; ever to be suspicious of ourselves,
and not only to refrain from promising much,
but actually to put ourselves to the test to keep
ourselves wakeful. A sober mind never enjoys
God's blessings to the full ; it draws back and
refuses a portion to show its command over itself.
It denies itself in trivial circumstances, even if
nothing is gained by denying, but an evidence of
its own sincerity. It makes trial of its own pro-
fessions ; and if it has been tempted to say any thing
noble and great, or to blame another for sloth or

202 PROMISING WITHOUT DOING. [Serm.

cowardice, it takes itself at its word, and resolves
to make some sacrifice (if possible) in little things,
as a price for the indulgence of fine speaking, or
as a penalty on its censoriousness. Much would
be gained if we adopted this rule even in our
professions of friendship and service one towards
another ; and never said a thing which we were
not willing to do.

There is only one place where the Christian
allows himself to profess openly, and that is in
Church. Here, under the guidance of Apostles
and Prophets, he says many things boldly, as
speaking after them, and as before Him who
searcheth the reins. There can be no harm in
professing much directly to God, because, while
we speak, we know He sees through our profes-
sions, and takes them for what they really are,
prayers. How much, for instance, do we profess
when we say the Creed ! and in the Collects we
put on the full character of a Christian, We
desire and seek the best gifts, and declare our
strong purpose to serve God with our whole hearts.
By doing this, we remind ourselves of our duty;
and withal, we humble ourselves by the taunt
(so to call it) of putting upon our dwindled and
unhealthy forms those ample and glorious gar-
ments which befit the upright and full-grown
believer.

Lastly, we see from the parable, what is the

XIII.] PROMISING WITHOUT DOING. 20S

course and character of human obedience on the
whole. There are two sides of it. I have taken
the darker side ; the case of profession without
practice, of saying " I go, Sir," and of not going.
But what is the brighter side? Nothing better
than to say, "I go not," and to repent and go.
The more common condition of men is, not to
know their inability to serve God, and readily to
answer for themselves; and so they quietly pass
through life, as if they had nothing to fear. Their
best estate, what is it, but to rise more or less in
rebellion against God, to resist His commandments
and ordinances, and then poorly to make up for the
mischief they have done, by repenting and obey-
ing ? Alas ! to be alive as a Christian, is nothing
better than to struggle against sin, to disobey and
repent. There has been but One among the sons
of men who has said and done consistently ; who
said, " I come to do Thy will, O God," and without
delay or hindrance did it. He came to show us
what human nature might become, if carried on to
its perfection. Thus He teaches us to think highly
of our nature as viewed in Him ; not (as some do)
to speak evil of our nature and exalt ourselves per-
sonally, but while we acknowledge oz^r oz^?z distance
from heaven, to view our nature as renewed in Him,
as glorious and wonderful beyond our thoughts.
Thus He teaches us to be hopeful ; and encourages
us while conscience abases us. Angels seem little
in honour and dignity, compared with that nature

204

PROMISING WITHOUT DOING.

which the Eternal Word has purified by His own
union with it. Henceforth, we dare aspire to enter
into the heaven of heavens, and to live for ever in
God's presence, because the first-fruits of our race
is already there in the Person of His Only-begotten
Son.

SERMON XIV.

RELIGIOUS EMOTION.

Mark xiv, 31.

" But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with Thee,
I will not deny Thee in any wise."

It is not my intention to make St. Peter's fall the
direct subject of our consideration to-day, though
I have taken this text ; but to suggest to you an
important truth, which that fall, together with
other events at the same season, especially en-
forces ; viz. that violent impulse is not the same as
a firm determination, — that men may have their
religious feelings roused, without being on that ac-
count at all the more likely to obey God in practice,
rather the less likely. This important truth is in
various ways brought before our minds at the sea-
son sacred to the memory of Christ's betrayal and
death. The contrast displayed in the Gospels!
between His behaviour on the one hand, as the
time of His crucifixion drew near, and that both
of His disciples and the Jewish populace on the
other, is full of instruction, if we will receive it ;

V

206 RELIGIOUS EMOTION. [Serm.

He steadily fixing His face to endure those suf-
ferings which were the atonement for our sins, yet
without aught of mental excitement or agitation ;
His disciples and the Jewish multitude first pro-
testing their devotion to Him in vehement lan-
guage, then, the one deserting Him, the other
even clamouring for His crucifixion. He entered
Jerusalem in triumph ; the multitude cutting down
branches of palm-trees, and strewing them in the
way, as in honour of a king and conqueror'.
He had lately raised Lazarus from the dead ; and
so great a miracle had given Him great temporary
favour with the populace. Multitudes flocked to
Bethany to see Him and Lazarus • ; and when
He set out for Jerusalem w^here He was to suffer,
they, little thinking they would soon cry, " Cru-
cify Him," went out to meet Him with the palm-
branches, and hailing Him as their Messiah, led
Him on into the holy city. Here was an instance
of a popular excitement. The next instance of
excited feeling is found in that melancholy self-
confidence of St. Peter, contained in the text.
When our Saviour foretold Peter's trial and fall,
Peter at length " spake the more vehemently, If I
should die with Thee, I will not deny Thee in any
wise." Yet in a little while both the people and
the Apostle abandoned their Messiah ; the ardour
of their devotion had run its course.

' Matt. xxi. 8. John xii. 13. " John xii. 1 — 18.

XIV.] RELIGIOUS EMOTION. 207

Now it may, perhaps, appear as if the circum-
stance I am pointing out, remarkable as it is, still
is one on which it is of little use to dwell, when
addressing a mixed congregation, on the ground
that most men feel too little about religion. And
it may be thence argued, that the aim of Christian
teaching rather should be to rouse them from
insensibilitj, than to warn them against excess of
religious feeling. I answer, that to mistake mere
transient emotion, or mere good thoughts, for
obedience, is a far commoner deceit than at first
sight appears. How many a man is there, who,
when his conscience upbraids him for neglect of
duty, comforts himself with the reflection that he
has never treated the subject of religion with open
scorn, — that he has from time to time had serious
thoughts, — that on certain solemn occasions he
has been affected and awed, — that he has at
times been moved to earnest prayer to God, — that
he has had accidentally some serious conversation
with a friend ! This, I say, is a case of frequent
occurrence among men called Christian. Again,
there is a further reason for insisting upon this
subject. No one (it is plain) can be religious
without having his heart in his religion; his
affections must be actively engaged in it ; and it
is the aim of all Christian instruction to promote
this. But if so, doubtless there is great danger
lest a perverse use should be made of the affec-
tions. In proportion as a religious duty is diffi-

g08 RELIGIOUS EMOTION. [Seem.

cult, SO is it open to abuse. For the very reason,
then, that I desire to make you earnest in religion,
must I also warn you against a counterfeit earn-
estness, which often misleads men from the plain
path of obedience, and which most men are apt
to fall into just on their first awakening to a
serious consideration of their duty. It is not
[enough to bid you serve Christ in faith, fear,
love, and gratitude ; care must be taken that it
is the faith, fear, love, and gratitude of a sound
mind. That vehement tumult of zeal which St.
Peter felt before his trial failed him under it.
The open-mouthed admiration of the populace at
our Saviour's miracle was suddenly changed to
blasphemy. This may happen now as then;
and it often happens in a way distressing to the
Christian teacher. He finds it is far easier to
interest men in the subject of religion, (hard
though this be,) than to rule the spirit which he
has excited. His hearers, when their attention
is gained, soon begin to think he does not go far
enough; then they seek means which he will not
supply, of encouraging and indulging their mere
feelings to the neglect of humble practical efforts
to serve God. After a time, like the multitude,
they suddenly turn round to the world, abjuring
Christ altogether, or denying Him with Peter, or
gradually sinking into a mere form of obedience,
, while they still think themselves true Christians,
'and secure of the favour of Almighty God.

XIV.] RELIGIOUS EMOTION. 209

For these reasons I think it is as important to
warn men against impetuous feelings in religion,
as to urge them to give their heart to it. 1 pro-
ceed therefore to explain more fully what is the
connexion between strong emotions and sound
Christian principle, and how far they are consistent
with it.

Now that perfect state of mind at which we
must aim, and which the Holy Spirit imparts, is
a deliberate preference of God's service to every
thing else, a determined resolution to give up all
for Him ; and a love for Him, not tumultuous
and passionate, but such a love as a child bears
towards his parents, calm, full, reverent, contem-
plative, obedient. Here, however, it may be ob-
jected, that this is not always possible: that we
cannot help feeling emotion at times ; that even
to take the case of parents and children, a man is
at certain times thrown out of that quiet affection
which he bears towards his father and mother,
and is agitated by various feelings ; again, that
zeal, for instance, though a Christian virtue, is
almost inseparable from ardour and passion. To
this I reply, that I am not describing the state
of mind to which any one of us has attained,
when I say it is altogether calm and meditative,
but that which is the perfect state, that which we
should aim at. I know it is often impossible,
for various reasons, to avoid being agitated and
excited ; but the question before us is, whether

VOL. I. P

210 RELIGIOUS EMOTION. [Serm.

we should think much of violent emotion, whether
we should encourage it. Doubtless it is no sin to
feel at times passionately on the subject of religion ;
it is natural in some men, and under certain cir-
cumstances it is praiseworthy in others. But these
are accidents. As a general rule, the more reli-
gious men become, the calmer they become; and
at all times the religious principle, viewed by itself,
is calm, sober, and deliberate.

Let us review some of the accidental circum-
stances I speak of.

1. The natural tempers of men vary very much.
Some men have ardent imaginations and strong
feelings ; and adopt, as a matter of course, a
vehement mode of expressing themselves. No
doubt it is impossible to make all men think
and feel alike. Such men of course may possess
deep-rooted principle. All I would maintain is,
that their ardour does not of itself make their
faith deeper and more genuine; that they must
not think themselves better than others on account
of it ; that they must beware of considering it a
proof of their real earnestness, instead of narrowly
searching into their conduct for the satisfactory

fruits of faith.

2. Next, there are, besides, particular occasions
on which excited feeling is natural, and even
commendable; but not for its own sake, but on
account of the peculiar circumstances under which
it occurs. For instance, it is natural for a man

XIV.] RELIGIOUS EMOTION. 21 1

to feel especial remorse at his sins when he first
begins to think of religion ; he ought to feel bitter
sorrow and keen repentance. But all such emo-
tion evidently is not the highest state of a Christ-
ian's mind ; it is but the first stirring of grace in
him. A sinner, indeed, can do no better ; but in
proportion as he learns more of the power of true
religion, such agitation will wear away. What'
is this but saying, that change of mind is only the
inchoate state of a Christian ? Who doubts that
sinners are bound to repent and turn to God ?
yet the Angels have no repentance ; and who
denies their peacefulness of soul to be a higher
excellence than ours ? The woman who had been
a sinner, when she came behind our Lord wept
much, and washed his feet with tears ^ It was
well done in her ; she did what she could ; and
was honoured with her Saviour's praise. Yet it
is clear this was not a permanent state of mind.
It was but the first step in religion, and would
doubtless wear away. It was but the accident of
a season. Had her faith no deeper root than this
emotion, it would have soon come to an end, as
Peter's zeal.

In like manner, whenever we fall into sin, (and
how often is this the case !) the truer our faith is,
the more we shall for the time be distressed, per-

* Luke vii. 38.
p 2

212 RELIGIOUS EMOTION. • [Serm.

haps agitated. No doubt; yet it would be a
strange procedure to make much of this disquie-
tude. Though it is a bad sign if we do not feel it
according to our mental temperament, yet if we do,
what then ? It argues no high Christian excel-
lence ; I repeat it, it is but the virtue of a very im-
perfect state. Bad is the best offering we can
offer to God after sinning. On the other hand, the
more consistent our habitual obedience, the less we
shall be subject to such feelings.

3. And further, the accidents of life will occa-
sionally agitate us : — affliction and pain ; bad news ;
though here, too, the Psalmist describes the
higher excellence of mind, viz. the calm con-
fidence of the believer, who " will not be afraid of
any evil tidings, y^' his heart standeth fast, and be-
lieveth in the Lord\" Times of persecution will
agitate the mind ; circumstances of especial interest
in the fortunes of the Church will cause anxiety
and fear. We see the influence of some of these
causes in various parts of St. Paul's Epistles.
Such emotion, however, is not the essence of true
faith, though it accidentally accompanies it. In
times of distress religious men will speak more
j openly on the subject of religion, and lay bare their
1 feelings; at other times they will conceal them.
' They are neither better nor worse for so doing.

' Psalm cxii. 7.

XIV.] % RELIGIOUS EMOTION. 213

Now all this may be illustrated from Scripture.
We find the same prayers offered, and the same
resolutions expressed by good men, sometimes in
a calm way, sometimes with more ardour. How
quietly and simply does Agur offer his prayer to
God ! " Two things have I required of Thee ;
deny me them not before I die. Remove far from
me vanity and lies ; give me neither poverty nor
riches ; feed me with food convenient for me."
St. Paul, on the other hand, with greater fervency,
because he was in more distressing circumstances,
but with not more acceptableness on that account
in God's sight, says, " I have learned in whatso-
ever state I am, therewith to be content. I know
both how to be abased, and I know how to
abound ;" and so he proceeds. Again, Joshua
says, simply but firmly, " As for me and my
house, we will serve the Lord." St. Paul says as
firmly, but with more emotion, when his friends
besought him to keep away from Jerusalem : —
" What, mean ye to weep and to break mine
heart ? for I am ready not to be bound only, but
also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord
Jesus." Observe how calm Job is in his resiffna-
tion : " The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken
away ; blessed be the name of the Lord." And on
the other hand, how calmly that same Apostle
expresses his assurance of salvation at the close
of his life, who, during the struggle, was acci-j
dentally agitated : — " I am now ready to be offered.'

214 RELIGIOUS EMOTION. # [Serm.

I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is

laid up for me a crown of righteousness '."

These remarks may suffice to show the relation
which excited feelings bear to true religious prin-
ciple. They are sometimes natural, sometimes
suitable; but they are not religion itself. They
come and go. They are not to be counted on, or
encouraged ; for, as in St. Peter's case, they may
supplant true faith, and lead to self-deception.
They will gradually lose their place within us
as our obedience becomes confirmed; — partly be-
cause those men are kept in perfect peace, and
sheltered from all agitating feelings, whose minds
are stayed on God^; — partly because these feel-
ings themselves are fixed into habits by the power
of faith, and instead of coming and going, and
agitating the mind from their suddenness, they
are permanently retained so far as there is any
thing good in them, and give a deeper colour
and a more energetic expression to the Christian
character.

Now, it will be observed, that in these remarks
/ I have taken for granted, as not needing proof,
that the highest Christian temper is free from all
vehement and tumultuous feeling. But, if we
wish some evidence of this, let us turn to our
Great Pattern, Jesus Christ, and examine what

» Prov. XXX. 7, 8. Phil. iv. U, 12. Josh. xxiv. 15.
Acts xxi. 13. Job i. 21. 2 Tim. iv. 6 — 8.
' Isaiah xxvi. 3.

XIV.] « RELIGIOUS EMOTION. 215

was the character of that perfect holiness which
He alone of all men ever displayed.

And can we find any where such calmness
and simplicity as marked His devotion and His
obedience? When does He ever speak with fer-
vour or vehemence ? Or, if there be one or two
words of His in His mysterious agony and death,
characterized by an energy which we do not com-
prehend, and which sinners must silently adore,
still how conspicuous and undeniable is His com-
posure in the general tenour of His words and
conduct ! Consider the prayer He gave us ; and
this is the more to the purpose, for the very reason
that He has given it as a model for our worship.
How plain and unadorned is it ! How few are
the words of it! How grave and solemn the
petitions ! What an entire absence of tumult
and feverish emotion ! Surely our own feelings
tell us, it could not be otherwise. To suppose
it otherwise were an irreverence towards Him. —
At another time when He is said to have "re-
joiced in spirit," His thanksgiving is marked with
the same undisturbed tranquillity. " I thank
Thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that
Thou hast hid these things from the wise and
prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy
sight." — Again, think of His prayer in the garden.
He then was in distress of mind beyond our un-
derstanding. Something there was, we know not

216 RELIGIOUS EMOTION. [Serm.

what, which weighed heavy upon Him. He
prayed He might be spared the extreme bitterness
of His trial. Yet how subdued and how concise
is His petition ! " Abba, Father, all things are
possible unto Thee : take away this cup from Me ;
nevertheless, not what I will, but what Thou
wilt'." And this is but one instance, though a
chief one, of that deep tranquillity of mind,
which is conspicuous throughout the solemn his-
tory of the Atonement. Read the thirteenth
chapter of St. John, in which He is described
as washing His disciples' feet, Peter's in parti-
cular. Reflect upon His serious words addressed
at several times to Judas who betrayed Him ; and
His conduct when seized by His enemies, when
brought before Pilate, and lastly, when suffering
on the cross. When does He set us an example
of passionate devotion, of enthusiastic wishes, or
of intemperate words?

Such is the lesson our Saviour's conduct teaches
us. Now let me remind you, how diligently we
are taught the same by our oMai Church. Christ
gave us a prayer to guide us in praying to the
Father; and upon this model our own Liturgy
is strictly formed. You will look in vain in the
Prayer-book for long or vehement Prayers ! for it
is but upon occasions that agitation of mind is
right, but there is ever a call upon us for serious-

' Luke X. 21. Mark xiv. 36.

XIV.J RELIGIOUS EMOTION. 217

ness, gravity, simplicity, deliberate trust, deep-
seated humility. Many persons, doubtless, think
the Church prayers, for this very reason, cold and
formal. They do not discern their high perfec-
tion, and they think they could easily write better
prayers. When' such opinions are advanced, it
is quite sufficient to turn our thoughts to our
Saviour's precept and example. It cannot be
denied that those who thus speak, ought to con-
sider our Lord's prayer defective; and sometimes
they are profane enough to think so, and to con-
fess they think so. But I pass this by. Granting
for argument's sake His precepts were intentionally
defective, as delivered before the Holy Ghost
descended, yet what will they say to His example?
Can even the fullest light of the Gospel revealed
after His resurrection, bring us His followers into
the remotest resemblance to our Blessed Lord's
holiness ? yet how calm was He, who was perfect
man, in His own obedience !

To conclude : — Let us take warning from St.
Peter's fall. Let us not promise much ; let us
not talk much of ourselves; let us not be high-
minded, nor encourage ourselves in impetuous
bold language in religion. Let us take warning,
too, from that fickle multitude who cried, first
Hosanna, then Crucify. A miracle startled them
into a sudden adoration of their Saviour ; — its
effect upon them soon died away. And thus the
especial mercies of God sometimes excite us for a

218 RELIGIOUS EMOTION.

season. We feel Christ speaking to us through
our consciences and hearts ; and we fancy He is
assuring us we are His true servants, when He
is but calling on us to receive Him. Let us not
be content with saying " Lord, Lord," without
" doing the thing which He says." The husband-
man's son who said, " I go, sir," yet went not to
the vineyard, gained nothing by his fair words.
One secret act of self-denial, one sacrifice of incli-
nation to duty, is worth all the mere good
thoughts, warm feelings, passionate prayers, in
which idle people indulge themselves. It will
give us more comfort on our death-bed to reflect
on one deed of self-denying mercy, purity, or
humility, than to recollect the shedding of many
tears, and the recurrence of frequent transports,
and much spiritual exultation. These latter feel-
ings come and go; they may or may not accom-
pany hearty obedience ; they are never tests of it ;
but good actions are the fruits of faith, and assure
us that we are Christ's; they comfort us as an
evidence of the Spirit working in us. By them
we shall be judged at the last day ; and though
they have no worth in themselves, by reason of
that infection of sin which gives its character
to every thing we do, yet they will be accepted
for His sake, who bore the agony in the garden,
and suffered as a sinner on the cross.

SERMON XV.

RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL.

Romans iv. 20, 21.

" He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but
was strong in faith, giving glory to God : and being fully-
persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to
perform."

There are serious men who are in the habit
of describing Christian Faith as a feeling or a
principle such as ordinary persons cannot enter
into ; a something strange and peculiar in its very
nature, different in kind from every thing that
affects and influences us in matters of this world,
and not admitting any illustration from our con-
duct in them. They consider that, because it is
a spiritual gift, and heavenly in its origin, it is
therefore altogether superhuman; and that to
compare it to any of our natural principles or
feelings, is to think unworthily of it. And thus
they lead others, who wish an excuse for their
own irreligious lives, to speak of Christian Faith
as extravagant and irrational, as if it were a mere

220 RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. [Serm.

fancy or feeling, which some persons had and
others had not; and which, accordingly, could
only, and would necessarily, be felt by those who
were disposed that certain way. Now, that the
object on which Faith fixes our thoughts, that the
doctrines of Scripture are most marvellous and
exceeding in glory, unheard and unthought of else-
where, is quite true; and it is also true that no
mind of man will form itself to a habit of Faith
without the preventing and assisting influences of
Divine Grace. But it is not at all true that Faith
itself, i. e. Trust, is a strange principle of action ;
and to say that it is irrational is even an absurdity.
I mean such a Faith as that of Abraham, men-
tioned in the text, which led him to believe God's
word when opposed to his own experience. And it
shall now' be my endeavour to show this.

To hear some men speak, (I mean men who
scoff at religion,) it might be thought we never
acted on Faith or Trust, except in religious mat-
ters ; whereas we are acting on trust every hour of
our lives. When faith is said to be a religious
principle, it is (I repeat) the things believed, not
the act of believing them, which is peculiar to reli-
gion. Let us take some examples.

It is obvious we trust our memory. We do not
now witness what we saw yesterday; yet we have
no doubt it took place in the way we remember.
We recollect clearly the circumstances of morning
and afternoon. Our confidence in our memory

XV.] RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. 221

is SO strong, that a man might reason with us all
day long, without persuading us that we slept
through the day, or that we returned from a long
journey, when our memory deposes otherwise. Thus
we have faith in our memory ; yet Mhat is irrational
here?

Again, even when we use reasoning, and are
convinced of any thing by reasoning, what is it
but that we trust the general soundness of our
reasoning powers? From knowing one thing we
think we can be sure about another, even though
we do not see it. Who of us would doubt, on
seeing strong shadows on the ground, that the sun
was shining out, though our face happened to be
turned the other way ? Here is faith without sight ;
but there is nothing against reason here, unless
reason can be against itself.

And what I wish you particularly to observe,
is, that we continually trust our memory and our
reasoning powers in this way, though they often
deceive us. This is worth observing, because it is
sometimes said that we cannot be certain our faith
in religion is not a mistake. I say our memory
and reason often deceive us ; yet no one says it is
therefore absurd and irrational to continue to
trust them ; and for this plain reason, because
on the whole they are true and faithful witnesses,
because it is only at times that they mislead us;
so that the chance is, that they are right in this
case or that, which happens to be before us ; and

RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. [Serm.

(again) because in all practical matters we are
obliged to dwell upon not what may he possibly,
but what is likely to be. In matters of daily life,
we have no time for fastidious and perverse fancies
about the minute chances of our being deceived.
We are obliged to act at once, or we should cease
to live. There is a chance (it cannot be denied)
that our food to-day may be poisonous, — we can-
not be quite certain, — but it looks the same and
tastes the same, and we have good friends round
us; so we do not abstain from it, for all this
chance, though it is real. This necessity of
acting promptly is our happiness in this world's
matters ; in the concerns of a future life, alas ! we
have time for carnal and restless thoughts about
possibilities. And this is our trial; and it will
be our condemnation, if with the experience of
the folly of such idle fancyings about what may
be, in matters of this life, we yet indulge them as
regards the future. If it be said, that we some-
times do distrust our reasoning powers, for instance,
when they lead us to some unexpected conclusion,
or again our memory, when another's memory
contradicts it, this only shows that there are things
which we should be weak or hasty in believing;
which is quite true. Doubtless there is such a
fault as credulity, or believing too readily and
too much, (and this, in religion, we call super-
stition,) but this neither shows that aU trust is
irrational, nor again that trust is necessarily irra-

XV.] RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. 223

tional, which is founded on what is but likely to be,
and may be denied without an actual absurdity.
Indeed, when we come to examine the subject, it
will be found that, strictly speaking, we know little
more than that we exist, and that there is an Un-
seen Power whom we are bound to obey. Beyond
this we must trust ; and first our senses, memory,
and reasoning powers ; then other authorities : — so
that, in fact, almost all we do, every day of our
lives, is on trust, i. e. faith.

But it may be said, that belief in these inform-
ants, our senses, and the like, is not what is com-
monly meant by faith ; — that to trust our senses
and reason is in fact nothing more than to trust
ourselves; — and though these do sometimes mislead
us, yet they are so continually about us, and so at
command, that we can use them to correct each
other; so that on the whole we gain from these
the truth of things quite well enough to act upon ;
— that on the other hand it is a very different thing
from this to trust another person ; and that faith, in
the Scripture sense of the word, is trusting another,
and therefore is not proved to be rational by the
foregoing illustrations.

Let us, then, understand faith in this sense of
reliance on the words of another, as opposed to
trust in oneself. This is the common meaning of
the word, I grant ; — as when we contrast it to
sight and to reason ; and yet what I have already
said has its use in reminding men who are eager

224 RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. [Sbrm.

for demonstration in matters of religion, that there
are difficulties in matters of sense and reasoning
also. But to proceed as I have proposed. — It is
easy to show, that, even considering faith as trust
in another, it is no irrational or strange principle of
conduct in the concerns of this life.

For when we consider the subject attentively,
how few things there are which we can ascertain
for ourselves by our own senses and reason ! After
all, what do we know without trusting others ? We
know that vre are in a certain state of health, in a
certain place, have been alive for a certain number
of years, have certain principles and likings, have
certain persons around us, and perhaps have in our
lives travelled to certain places at a distance. But
what do we know more? Are there not towns
(we will say) within fifty or sixty miles of us which
"we have never seen, and which, nevertheless, we
fully believe to be, as we have heard them de-
scribed ? To extend our view ; — we know that land
stretches in every direction of us, a certain number
of miles, and then there is sea on all sides ; that
"we are in an island. But who has seen the land
all around, and has proved for himself that the
fact is so ? What, then, convinces us of it ?
the re'port of others, — this trust, this faith in tes-
timony which, when religion is concerned, then,
and only then, the proud and sinful would fain call
irrational.

And what I have instanced in one set of facts,

XV.] RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. 225

which we believe, is equally true of numberless
others, of almost all which we think we know.

Consider how men in the business of life, nay,
all of us, confide, are obliged to confide, in per-
sons we never saw, or know but slightly ; nay,
in their hand-writings, which, for what we know,
may be forged, if we are to speculate and fancy
what may be. We act upon our trust in them
implicitly, because common sense tells us, that
with proper caution and discretion, faith in others
is perfectly safe and rational. Scripture, then,
only bids us act in respect to a future life, as
we are every day acting at present. Or, again,
how certain we all are (when we think on the
subject) that we must sooner or later die. No
one seriously thinks he can escape death ; and
men dispose of their property and arrange their
affairs, confidently contemplating, not indeed the
exact time of their death, still death as sooner
or later to befal them. Of course they do ; it
would be most irrational in them not to expect
it. Yet observe, what proof has any one of us
that he shall die? because other men die? how
does he know that? has he seen them die? he
can know nothing of what took place before he
was born, nor of what happens in other countries.
How little, indeed, he knows about it at all,
except that it is a received facU and except that it
would, in truth, be idle to doubt what mankind as
a whole witness, though each individual has only
VOL. I. Q

226 RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. [Srrm.

his proportionate share in the universal testimony !
And, further, we constantly believe things even
against our own judgment ; i. e. when we think
our informant likely to know more about the
matter under consideration than ourselves, which
is the precise case in the question of religious
faith. And thus from reliance on others we
acquire knowledge of all kinds, and proceed to
reason, judge, decide, act, form plans for the
future. And in all this (I say) trust is at the
bottom ; and this the world calls prudence (and
rightly) ; and not to trust, and act upon trust,
imprudence^ or (it may be) headstrong folly, or
madness.

But it is needless to proceed ; the world could
not go on without it. The most distressing event
that can happen to a state is (we know) the
spreading of a want of confidence between man
and man. Distrust, want of faith^ breaks the
very bonds of human society. Now, then, shall
we account it only rational for a man, when he
is ignorant, to believe his fellow-man, nay, to yield
to another's judgment as better than his own,
and yet think it against reason when one, like
Abraham, gives ear to the Word of God, and
sets the promise of God above his own short-
sighted expectation? Abraham, it is true, rested
in hope beyond hope, in the hope afforded by a
Divine promise beyond that hope suggested by
nature. He had fancied he never should have a

XV.] RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. 227

SOD, and God promised him a son. But might
he not well address those self-wise persons who
neglect to walk in the steps of his faith, in the
language of just reproof? *' If we receive the
witness of Twew," (he might well urge with the
Apostle,) " the witness of God is greater '."
Therefore, he " staggered not at the promise of
God through unbelief, but was strong in faith,
giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded
that what He had promised He was able also to
perform."

But it may be objected ; " True, if we knew for
certain God had spoken to us as He did to Abra-
ham, it were then madness indeed in us to dis-
believe Him ; but it is not His voice we hear, but
man's speaking in His name. The Church tells us,
that God has revealed to man His will ; and the
Ministers of the Church point to a book which
they say is holy, and contains the words of God.
How are we to know whether they speak truth or
not ? To believe this, is it according to reason or
against it ?"

This objection brings us to a very large and
weighty question, though I do not think it is,
generally speaking, a very practical one ; viz. what
are our reasons for believing the Bible came from
God ? If any one asks this in a scoffing way, he is
not to be answered ; for he is profane, and exposes

' 1 John V. 9.

q2

2-28 RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. [Serm.

himself to the curse pronounced by St. Paul upon
the haters of the Lord Jesus. But if a man inquires
sincerely, wishing to find the truth, waiting on God
humbly, yet perplexed at knowing or witnessing
the deeds of scorners and daring blasphemers, and
at hearing their vain reasonings, and not knowing
what to think or say about them, let him consider
the following remarks, with which I conclude.

Now, first, whatever such profane persons may
say about their willingness to believe, if they could
find reason, — however willing they may profess
themselves to admit that we daily take things
on trust, and that to act on faith is in itself quite
a rational procedure, — though they may pretend
that they do not quarrel with being required to
believe, but say that they do think it hard that
better evidence is not given them for believing
what they are bid believe undoubtingly, the divine
authority of the Bible, — in spite of all this, depend
upon it, (in a very great many cases,) they do
murmur at being required to believe, they do dis-
like being bound to act without seeing, they do
prefer to trust themselves to trusting God, even
though it coidd be plainly proved to them that
God was in truth speaking to them. Did they
see God, did He show Himself as He will appear
at the last day, still they would be faithful to their
own miserable and wretched selves, and would
be practically disloyal to the authority of God.
Their conduct shows this. Why otherwise do

XV.] RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. 229

they so frequently scoff at religious men, as if
timid and narrow-minded, merely because they
fear to sin ? Why do they ridicule such consci-
entious persons as will not swear, or jest indeco-
rously, or live dissolutely? Clearly, it is their
very faith itself they ridicule ; not their believing
on false grounds, but their believing at all. Here
they show what it is which rules them within.
They do not like the tie of religion ; they do not
like dependence. To trust another, much more
to trust him implicitly, is to acknowledge one-
self to be his inferior ; and this man's proud
nature cannot bear to do. He is apt to think
it unmanly, and to be ashamed of it; he promises
himself liberty by breaking the chain (as he con-
siders it) which binds him to his Maker and
Redeemer. You will say, Mhy then do such men
trust each other if they are so proud ? I answer,
that they cannot help it; and, again, that while
they trust, they are trusted in turn ; which puts
them on a sort of equality with others. Unless
this mutual dependence takes place, it is true,
they cannot bear to be bound to trust another, to
depend on him. And this is the reason that such
men are so given to cause tumults and rebellions
in national affairs. They set up some image of
freedom in their minds, a freedom from the
shackles of dependence, which they think their
natural right, and which they aim to gain for
themselves ; a liberty, much like that which

2S0 RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. [Serm.

Satan aspired after, when he rebelled against God.
So, let these men profess what they will, about
their not finding fault with Faith on its own ac-
count, they do dislike it. And it is therefore very
much to our purpose to accustom our minds to the
fact, on which I have been insisting, that almost
every thing we do is grounded on mere trust in
others. We are from our birth dependent crea-
tures, utterly dependent; — dependent immediately
on man ; and that visible dependence reminds us
forcibly of our truer and fuller dependence upon
God.

Next, I observe, that these unbelieving men,
who use hard vk^ords against Scripture, condemn
themselves out of their own mouth ; — in this way.
It is a mistake to suppose that our obedience to
God's will is merely founded on our belief in the
word of such persons as tell us Scripture came
from God. We obey God primarily because we
actually feel His presence in our consciences
bidding us obey Him. And this, I say, confutes
these objectors on their own ground ; because the
very reason they give for their unbelief is, that
they trust their own sight and reason, because
their own, more than the words of God's Minis-
ters. Now, let me ask, if they trust their senses
and their reason, why do they not trust their
conscience too ? Is not conscience their own ?
Their conscience is as much a part of themselves
as their reason is; and it is placed within them

XV.] RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. 231

by Almighty God in order to balance the influence
of sight and reason ; and yet they will not attend
to it ; for a plain reason, — they love sin, — they love
to be their own masters, and therefore they will
not attend to that secret whisper of their hearts,
which tells them they are not their own masters,
and that sin is hateful and ruinous.

Nothing shows this more plainly than their
conduct, if ever you appeal to their conscience in,
favour of your view of the case. Supposing they
are using profane language, murmurings, or scoffings
at religion; and supposing a man says to them,
" You know in your heart you should not do so ;"
how will they reply ? They immediately get angry ;
or they attempt to turn what is said into ridicule ;
any thing will they do, except answer by reasoning.
No ; their boasted argumentation then fails them.
It flies like a coward before the slight stirring of
conscience ; and their passions, these are the only
champions left for their defence. They in effect
say, " We do so, because we like it ;" perhaps they
even avow this in so many words. " He feedeth on
ashes ; a deceived heart hath turned him aside,
that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there
not a lie in my right hand ' ?"

And are such the persons whom any Christian
can in any degree trust? Surely faith in them
would be of all conceivable confidences the most

' Isa. xliv. 20.

RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. [Serm.

irrational, the most misplaced. Can we allow
ourselves to be perplexed and frightened at the
words of those who carry upon them the tokens
of their own inconsistency, the mark of Cain ?
Surely not ; and as that first rebel's mark was set
on him, " lest any finding him should kill him," in
like manner their presence but reminds us thereby
to view them with love, though most sorrowfully,
and to pray earnestly, and do our utmost, (if there
is ought we can do) that they may be spared the
second death; — to look on them with awe, as a
land cursed by God, the plain of Siddim or the
ruins of Babel, but which He, for our Redeemer's
sake, is able to renew and fertilize.

For ourselves, let us but obey God's voice in our
hearts, and I will venture to say we shall have no
doubts practically formidable about the truth of
Scripture. Find out the man who strictly obeys
the law within him, and yet is an unbeliever as
regards the Bible, and then it will be time enough
to consider all that variety of proof by which the
truth of the Bible is confirmed to us. This is no
practical inquiry for us. Our doubts, if we have
any, will be found to arise after disobedience ; it is
bad company or corrupt books which lead to unbe-
lief. It is sin which quenches the Holy Spirit.

And if we but obey God strictly, in time (through
His blessing) faith will become like sight ; we shall
have no more diflficulty in finding what will please
God than in moving our limbs, or in understanding

XV.] RELIGIOUS FAITH RATIONAL. 233

the conversation of our familiar friends. This is
the blessedness of confirmed obedience. Let us
aim at attaining it ; and in whatever proportion
we now enjoy it, praise and bless God for His un-
speakable gift.

SERMON XVI.

THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES.

John iii. 9.
'* How can these things he ?"

There is much instruction conveyed in the cir-
cumstance, that the Feast of the Holy Trinity
immediately succeeds that of Whit Sunday. On
the latter Festival we commemorate the coming
of the Spirit of God, who is promised to us as
the source of all spiritual knowledge and discern-
ment. But lest we should forget the nature of
that illumination which He imparts, Trinity Sun-
day follows, to tell us what it is not ; not a light
according to the reason, the gifts of the intellect ;
inasmuch as the Gospel has its mysteries, its diffi-
culties, and secret things, which the Holy Spirit
does not remove.

The grace promised us is given, not that we
may know more, but that we may do better. It is
given to influence, guide, and strengthen us in
performing our duty towards God and man ; it

THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES. 235

is given to us as creatures, as sinners, as men, as
immortal beings, not as mere reasoners, disputers,
or philosophical inquirers. It teaches us what we
are, whither we are going, what we must do, how
we must do it ; it enables us to change our fallen
nature from evil to good, " to make ourselves a
new heart and a new spirit." But it tells us nothing
for the sake of telling it; neither in His Holy
Word nor through our consciences has the blessed
Spirit thought fit so to act. Not that the desire of
knowing sacred things for the sake of knowing
them is wTong. As knowledge about earth, sky,
and sea, and the wonders they contain, is in itself
valuable, and in its place desirable, so doubtless
there is nothing sinful in gazing wistfully at the
marvellous providences of God's moral governance,
and wishing to understand them. But still God
has not given us such knowledge in the Bible;
and therefore to look into the Bible for such know-
ledge, or to expect it in any way from the inward
teaching of the Holy Ghost, is a dangerous mistake,
and (it may be) a sin. And since men are apt
to prize knowledge above holiness, therefore it is
most suitably provided, that Trinity Sunday
should succeed Whit Sunday; to warn us that
the enlightening vouchsafed to us is not an under-
standing of "all mysteries and all knowledge,"
but that love or charity which is " the fulfilling of
the Law."

And in matter of fact there have been very

g36 THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES. [Seum.

grievous mistakes respecting the nature of Chris-
tian knowledge. There have been at all times men
so ignorant of the object of Christ's coming, as to
consider mysteries inconsistent vrith the light of
the Gospel. They have thought the darkness of
Judaism, of which Scripture speaks, to be a state
of intellectual ignorance ; and Christianity to be,
what they term, a "rational religion." And hence
they have argued, that no doctrine which was
mysterious^ i. e. too deep for human reason, or
inconsistent with their self-devised notions, could
be contained in Scripture ; as if it were honouring
Christ to maintain that when He said a thing,
He could not have meant what He said, because
they would not have said it. Nicodemus, though
a sincere inquirer, and (as the event shows) a true
follower of Christ, yet at first was startled at the
mysteries of the Gospel. He said to Christ, " How
can these things be?" He felt the temptation,
and overcame it. But there are others who are
altogether offended and fall away on being exposed
to it ; as those mentioned in the sixth chapter of
St. John's Gospel, who went back and walked no
more with Him.

The Feast of Trinity succeeds Pentecost; the
light of the Gospel does not remove mysteries in
religion. This is our subject. Let us enlarge
upon it.

1. Let us consider such difficulties of religion,
as press upon us independently of the Scriptures.

XVI.] THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES. 237

Now we shall find the Gospel has not removed
these; they remain as great as before Christ
came. — How excellent is this world! how very
good and fair is the face of nature ! how pleasant
it is to walk into the green country, and "to
meditate in the field at the eventide ^ !" As we
look around, we cannot but be persuaded that
God is most good, and loves His creatures; yet
amid all the splendour we see around us, and the
happy beings, thousands and ten thousands, which
live in the air and water, the question comes
upon us, " But why is there pain in the world f"
We see that the brutes prey on each other, inflict-
ing violent, unnatural deaths. Some of them,
too, are enemies of man, and harm us when they
have an opportunity. And man tortures others
unrelentingly, nay, condemns some of them to
a life of suffering. Much more do pain and
misery show themselves in the history of man ; —
the numberless diseases and casualties of human
life, and our sorrows of mind; — then, further,
the evils we inflict on each other, our sins and
their awful consequences. Now why does God
permit so much evil in His own world ? This is
a difficulty, I say, which we feel at once, before
we open the Bible ; and which we are quite
unable to solve. We open the Bible; the fact
is acknowledged there, but it is not explained at

' Gen. xxiv. 63.

238 THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES. [Serm.

all. We are told that sin entered into the world
through the Devil, who tempted Adam to disobe-
dience ; so that God created the world good, though
evil is in it. But why He thought fit to suffer this
we are not told. We know no more on the sub-
ject than we did before opening the Bible. It was
a mystery before God gave His revelation, it is as
great a mystery now ; and doubtless for this reason,
because knowledge about it would do us no good,
it would merely satisfy curiosity. It is not prac-
tical knowledge.

2. Nor, again, are the difficulties of Judaism
removed by Christianity. The Jews were told,
that if they put to death certain animals, they
should be admitted by way of consequence into
God's favour, which their continual transgressions
were ever forfeiting. Now there was something
mysterious here. How should the death of unof-
fending creatures make God gracious to the
Jews ? They could not tell, of course. All that
could be said to the point was, that in the daily
course of human affairs the unoffending constantly
suffer instead of the offenders. One man is ever
suffering for the fault of another. But this expe-
rience did not lighten the difficulty of so myste-
rious a provision. It was still a mystery that
God's favour should depend on the death of brute
animals. Does Christianity solve this difficulty ?
No ; it continues it. The Jewish sacrifices indeed
are done away, but still there remains One Great

XVI.] THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES. 239

Sacrifice for sin, infinitely higher and more sacred
than all other conceivable sacrifices. According
to the Gospel message, Christ has voluntarily suf-
fered, " the just for the unjust, to bring us to God."
Here is the mystery continued. Why was this
suffering necessary to procure for us the blessings
which we were in ourselves unworthy of? We do
not know. We should not be better men for
knowing why God did not pardon us without
Christ's death ; so He has not told us. One suffers
for another in the ordinary course of things ; and
under the Jewish Law, too ; and in the Christian
scheme ; and why all this, is still a mystery.

Another difi&culty to a thoughtful Israelite
would arise from considering the state of the
heathen world. Why did not Almighty God
bring all nations into His Church, and teach
them, by direct revelation, the sin of idol-worship ?
He would not be able to answer. God had
chosen one nation. It is true the same principle
of preferring one to another is seen in the system
of the whole world. God gives men unequal
advantages, comforts, education, talents, health.
Yet this does not satisfy us, why He has thought
fit to do so at all. Here, again, the Gospel re-
cognises and confirms the mysterious fact. We
are born in a Christian country, others are not ;
we are baptized \. we are educated ; others are
not. We are favoured above others. But why ?
We cannot tell ; no more than the Jews could tell

240 THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES. [Seem.

why they were favoured ; — and for this reason,
because to know it is nothing to us ; it would not
make us better men to know it. It is intended
that we should look to ourselves, and rather
consider why we have privileges given us, than
why others have not the same. Our Saviour repels
such curious questions more than once. " Lord
and what shall this man do^?" St. Peter asked
about St. John. Christ replied, " If I will that he
tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou
Mer

Thus the Gospel gives us no advantages in re-
spect to mere barren knowledge, above the Jew, or
above the unenlio^htened heathen.

3. Nay, we may proceed to say, further than
this, that it increases our difficulties. It is indeed
a remarkable circumstance, that the very revela-
tion that brings us practical and useful knowledge
about our souls, in the very act of doing so, nay,
(as it would seem) in consequence of doing so,
brings us mysteries. We gain spiritual light at
the price of intellectual perplexity ; a blessed ex-
change doubtless, (for which is better, to be well
and happy within ourselves, or to know what is
going on at the world's end ?) still at the price of
perplexity. For instance, how infinitely impor-
tant and blessed is the news of eternal happiness ?
but we learn in connexion with this joyful truth,

*

I John xxi. 21, 22.

XVI.] THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES. 241

that there is a state of endless misery too. Now,
how great a mystery is this ! yet the difficulty
goes hand in hand with the spiritual blessing. It
is still more strikingly to the point to refer to the
message of mercy itself. We are saved by the
death of Christ ; but who is Christ ? Christ is the
Very Son of God, Begotten of God and One with
God from everlasting, God incarnate. This is
our inexpressible comfort, and a most sanctifying
truth if we receive it rightly ; but how stupendous
a mystery is the incarnation and sufferings of the
Son of God ! Here, not merely do the good
tidings and the mystery go together, as in the
revelation of eternal life and eternal death, but
the very doctrine which is the mystery, brings the
comfort also. Weak, ignorant, sinful, desponding,
sorrowful man, gains the knowledge of an infinitely
merciful Protector, a Giver of all good, most power-
ful, the Worker of all righteousness within him;
at what price ? at the price of a mystery. " The
Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and
we beheld His glory ;" and He laid down His life
for the world. What rightly disposed mind but
will gladly make the exchange, and exclaim, in the
language of one whose words are almost sacred
among us, " Let it be counted folly, or frenzy, or
fury whatsoever; it is our comfort and our wis-
dom. We care for no knowledge in the world
but this, that man iiath sinned, and God hath
suffered ; that God hath made Himself the Son of

VOL. I. R

242 THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES. [Sbrm.

man, and that men are made the righteousness of
God'."

The same singular connexion between reh'gious
light and comfort, and intellectual darkness, is
also seen in the doctrine of the Trinity. Frail
man requires pardon and sanctification ; can he
do otherwise than gratefully devote himself to, and
trust implicitly in, his Redeemer and his Sanc-
tifier ? But if our Redeemer were not God, and
our Sanctifier were not God, how great would
have been our danger of preferring creatures to
the Creator ! What a source of light, freedom,
and comfort is it, to know we cannot love Them
too much, or humble ourselves before Them too
reverently, for both Son and Spirit are separately
God ! Such is the practical effect of the doctrine ;
but what a mystery also is therein involved !
What a source of perplexity and darkness (I say)
to the reason, is the doctrine which immediately
results from it ! for if Christ be by Himself God,
and the Spirit be by Himself God, and yet there
be but One God, here is plainly something alto-
gether beyond our comprehension ; and, though
we might have antecedently supposed there were
numberless truths relating to Almighty God which
we could neither know nor understand, yet certain
as this is, it does not make this mystery at all less
overpowering when it is revealed.

* Hooker on Justification.

XVI.] THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES. 24'S

And it is important to observe, that this doc-
trine of the Trinity is not proposed in Scripture as
a mystery. It seems then that, as we draw forth
many remarkable facts concerning the natural
world which do not lie on its surface, so by
meditation we detect in Revelation this remark-
able principle, which is not openly propounded,
thai religious light is intellectual darkness. As if
our gracious Lord had said to us ; " Scripture does
not aim at making mysteries, but they are as
shadows brought out by the Sun of Truth. When
you knew nothing of revealed light, you knew
not revealed darkness. Religious truth requires
you should be told something^ your own imperfect
nature prevents your knowing all; and to know
something, and not all, — partial knowledge, — must of
course perplex ; doctrines imperfectly revealed must
be mysterious."

4. Such being the necessary mysteriousness of
Scripture doctrine, how can we best turn it to
account in the contest we are engaged in with
our evil hearts? Now we are given to see how
to do this in part, and, as far as we see, let us be
thankful for the gift. It seems then, that diffi-
culties in revelation are especially given to prove
the reality of our faith. What shall separate the
insincere from the sincere follower of Christ?
When the many own Christ with their lips, what
shall try and discipline His true servant, and
detect the self-deceiver? Difficulties in revela-

r2

244 THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES. [Serm.

tion mainly contribute to this end They are
stumbling-blocks to proud and unhumbled minds,
and were intended to be such. Faith is unas-
suming, modest, thankful, obedient. It receives
with reverence and love whatever God gives, when
convinced it is His gift. But when men do not
feel rightly their need of His redeeming mercy,
their lost condition and their inward sin, when,
in fact, they do not seek Christ in good earnest,
in order to gain something, and do something,
but as a matter of curiosity, or speculation, or
form, of course these difficulties will become great
objections in the way of their receiving His word
simply. And I say these difficulties were intended
to be such by Him who " scattereth the proud in
the imagination of their hearts." St. Peter assures
us, that that same corner-stone which is unto them
that believe '■^ precious^* is "unto them which be
disobedient, a stone of stumbling, and a rock of
offence," "whereunto also (he adds) they were ap-
pointed \" And our Lord's conduct through His
ministry is a continued example of this. He spoke
in parables ^, that they might see and hear, yet not
understand, — a righteous detection of insincerity ;
whereas the same difficulties and obscurities, which
offended irreligious men, would but lead the hum-
ble and meek to seek for more light, for informa-
tion as far as it was to be obtained, and for resig-

» 1 Pet. ii. 7, 8. ' Vide Mark iv. 11—25, &c.

XVI.] THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES. 245

nation and contentedness, where it was not given.
When Jesus said, ..." Except ye eat the flesh of
the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no

life in you Many of His disciples .... said.

This is a hard saying : who can hear it ? ... and
from that time many .... went back, and walked

no more with Him Then said Jesus unto the

twelve. Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter
answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go ? Thou
hast the words of eternal life." Here is the trial
of faith, a difficulty. Those " that believe not" fall
away ; the true disciples remain firm, for they feel
their eternal interests at stake, and ask the very
plain and practical, as well as affectionate question,
" To whom shall we go, if we leave Christ ^ ?"

At another time our Lord says, "I thank Thee,
0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou
hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,
(those who trust reason rather than Scripture and
conscience,) and hast revealed them unto babes
(those who humbly walk by faith). Even so, Father,
for so it seemed good in Thy sight -."

5. Now what do we gain from thoughts such as
these ? Our Saviour gives us the conclusion, in the
words which follow a passage just read to you.
" Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come
unto Me, except it were given him of My Father."
Or, again, " No man come to Me, except the

' John vi. 53—68. ' Matt. xi. 25, 26.

246 THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES. [Sbbm.

Father, which hath sent Me, draw him." There-
fore, if we feel the necessity of coming to Christ,
yet the difficulty, let us recollect that the gift of
coming is in God's hands, and that we must pray
Him to give it to us. Christ does not merely tell
us, that we cannot come of ourselves, (though this
He does tell us,) but He tells us also with whom
the power of coming is lodged, with His Father,
that we may seek it of Him. It is true, religion
has an austere appearance to those who never have
tried it ; its doctrines full of mystery, its precepts
of harshness ; so that it is uninviting, offending
different men in different ways, but in some way
offending all. When then we feel within us the
risings of this opposition to Christ, proud aversion
to His Gospel, or a low-minded longing after this
world, let us pray God to draw us ; and though we
cannot move a step without Him, at least let us
try to move. He looks into our hearts and sees
our strivings even before we strive, and He blesses
and strengthens even our feebleness. Let us get
rid of curious and presumptuous thoughts by going
about our business, whatever it is ; and let us mock
and baffle the doubts which Satan whispers to us
by acting against them. No matter whether we
believe doubtingly or not, or know clearly or not,
so that we act upon our belief. The rest will follow
in time; part in this world, part in the next.
Doubts may pain, but they cannot harm, unless we
give way to them ; and that we ought not to give

XVI.] THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES. 247

way our conscience tells us, so that our course is
plain. And the more we are in earnest to " work
out our salvation," the less shall we care to know
how those things really are, which perplex us. At
length, when our hearts are in our work, we shall
be indisposed to take the trouble of listening to
curious truths, (if they are but curious,) though we
might have them explained to us. For what says
the Holy Scripture ? that of speculations " there is
no end," and they are " a weariness of the flesh ;"
but that we must " fear God and keep His com-
mandments; for this is the whole duty of man'."

' Eccles. xii. 12, 13.

SERMON XVII.

THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER.

1 Cor. iii. 18, 19.

" Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth
to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may
be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with
God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own
craftiness."

Among the various deceptions against which St.
Paul warns us, a principal one is that of a false
wisdom; as in the text. The Corinthians prided
themselves on their intellectual acuteness and
knowledge ; as if any thing could equal the excel-
lence of Christian love. Accordingly, St. Paul
writing to them says, " Let no man deceive him-
self. If any man among you seemeth to be wise
in this world," (i. e. has the reputation of wisdom
in the world,) " let him become a fool, (what the
world calls a fool,) that he may (really) be wise."
" For," he proceeds, (just as real wisdom is foolish-
ness in the eyes of the world, so in turn,) " the
wisdom of this world is foolishness with God."

THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER. 249

This warning of the Apostle against our trust-
ing our own wisdom, may lead us, through God's
blessing, to some profitable reflections to-day.

The world's wisdom is said to he foolishness in
God's sight; and the end of it error, perplexity,
and then ruin. " He taketh the wise in their own
craftiness." Here is one especial reason why
professed inquirers after Truth do not find it.
They seek it in a wrong way, by a vain wisdom,
which leads them away from the Truth, however it
may seem to promise success.

Let us then inquire what is this vain wisdom,
and then we shall the better see how it leads
men astray.

Now, when it is said that to trust our own
notions is a wrong thing and a vain wisdom, of
course this is not meant of all our own notions
whatever ; for we must trust our own notions in
one shape or other, and some notions which we
form are right and true. The question, therefore,
is, what is that evil trusting to ourselves, that sin-
ful self-confidence, or self-conceit, which is called
in the text the " wisdom of the world," and is a
chief cause of our going wrong in our religious
inquiries.

These are the notions which we may trust with-
out blame ; viz. such as come to us by way of our
Conscience, for such come from God. I mean
our certainty that there is a right and a wrong.

250 THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER. [Seem.

that some things ought to be done, and other
things not done ; that we have duties, the neglect
of which brings remorse ; and further, that God
is good, wise, powerful, and righteous, and that
we should try to obey Him. All these notions,
and a multitude of others like these, come by
natural conscience, i. e. they are impressed on
all our minds from our earliest years without our
trouble. They do not proceed from the mere
exertion of our minds, though it is true they
are strengthened and formed thereby. They pro-
ceed from God, whether within us or without us ;
and though we cannot trust them so implicitly as
we can trust the Bible, because the truths of the
Bible are actually preserved in writing, and so
cannot be lost or altered, still, as far as we have
reason to think them true, we may rely in them,
and make much of them, without incurring the
sin of self-confidence. These notions which we
obtain without our exertion will never make us
proud or conceited, because they are ever at-
tended with a sense of sin and guilt, from the
remembrance that we have at times transgressed
and injured them. To trust them is not the false
wisdom of the world, or foolishness, because they
come from the All-wise God. And far from lead-
ing a man into error, they will, if obeyed, of a
certainty lead him to a firm belief in Scripture ;
in which he will find all those vague conjectures

XVII.] THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER. 251

and imperfect notions about Truth, which his
own heart taught him, abundantly sanctioned,
completed, and illustrated.

Such then are the opinions and feelings of
whicli a man is not proud. What are those of
which he is likely to be proud ? those which he
obtains, not by nature, but by his own industry,
ability, and research ; those which he possesses
and others not. Every one is in danger of valuing
himself for what he does; and hence truths (or
fancied truths) which a man has obtained for him-
self after much thought and labour, such he is
apt to make much of, and to rely upon; and
this is the source of that vain wisdom of which
the Apostle speaks in the text.

Now, (I say,) this confidence in our own reasoning
powers not only leads to pride, but to ^'foolishness "
also, and destructive error, because it will oppose
itself to Scripture. A man who fancies he can
find out truth by himself, disdains revelation.
He who thinks he has found it out, is impatient
of revelation. He fears it will interfere with his
own imaginary discoveries, he is unwilling to
consult it; and when it does interfere, then he
is angry. We hear much of this proud rejection
of the truth in the Epistle from which the text
is taken. The Jews felt anger, and the Greeks
disdain, at the Christian doctrine. " The Jews
required a sign, (according to their pre-conceived
notions concerning the Messiah's coming,) and

252 THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER. [Serm.

the Greeks seek after wisdom, (some subtle train
of reasoning,) but we preach Christ crucified,
unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the
Greeks foolishness K" In another place the Apos-
tle says of the misled Christians of Corinth, " Now
ye are full " of your own notions, " now ye are
rich, ye have reigned as kings without us' ;" i. e.
you have prided yourself on a wisdom, " without,"
separate from, the truth of Apostolic doctrine.
Confidence, then, in our own reasoning powers
leads to (what St. Paul calls) foolishness, by
causing in our hearts an indifference, or a dis-
taste for Scripture information.

But, besides thus keeping us from the best of
guides, it also makes us fools, because it is a
confidence in a bad guide. Our reasoning powers
are very weak in all inquiries into moral and reli-
gious truth. Clear-sighted as reason is on other
subjects, and trust-worthy as a guide, still in
questions connected with our duty to God and
man it is very unskilful and equivocating. After
all, it barely reaches the same great truths which
are authoritatively set forth by Conscience and by
Scripture ; and if it be used in religious inquiries,
without reference to these divinely-sanctioned in-
formants, the probability is, it will miss the Truth
altogether. Thus the (so called) vdse will be
taken in their own craftiness. All of us, doubt-

' 1 Cor. i. 22, 23. ' 1 Cor. iv. 8.

XVII.] THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER. 253

less, recollect our Lord's words, which are quite
to the purpose ; " I thank Thee, O Father, Lord
of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these
things from the wise and prudent, (those who trust
in their own intellectual powers,) and hast revealed
them unto babes \" those, i. e. that act by faith
and for conscience- sake.

The false wisdom, then, of which St. Paul
speaks in the text, is a trusting our own powers
for arriving at religious truth, instead of taking
what is divinely provided for us, whether in nature
or revelation. This is the way of the world. In
the world, Reason is set against Conscience, and
usurps its power ; and hence men become " wise
in their own conceits," and " leaning to their own
understandings," "err from the truth." Let us
now review some particulars of this contest be-
tween our instinctive sense of right and wrong,
and our weak and conceited reason.

It begins within us, when childhood and boy-
hood are past ; and the time comes for our en-
trance into life. Before that time we trusted our
divinely-enlightened sense of duty and our right
feeling implicitly ; and though (alas !) we con-
tinually transgressed, and so impaired this inward
guide, at least we did not question its authority.
Then we had that original temper of faith, wrought
in us by baptism, the spirit of little children,

' Matt. xi. 25.

254 THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER. [Serm.

without which our Lord assures us, none of us,
young or old, can enter the kingdom of heaven K

But when our minds became more manly, and
the world opened upon us, then in proportion to
the intellectual gifts with which God had honoured
us, came the temptation of unbelief and disobe-
dience. Then came reason, led on by passion,
to war against our better knowledge. We were
driven into the wilderness, after our Lord's man-
ner, by the very Spirit given us, which exposed
us to the Devil's devices, before the time or power
came of using the gift in God's service. And
how many of the most highly endowed then fall
away under trials which the sinless Son of God
withstood ! He feels for all who are tempted,
having Himself suffered temptation ; yet what a
sight must He see, and by what great exercise of
mercy must the Holy Jesus endure, the bold and
wicked thoughts which often reign the most tri-
umphantly in the breasts of those (at least for a
time) whom He has commissioned by the abund-
ance of their talents to be the especial ministers
of His will !

A murmuring against that religious service
which is perfect freedom, complaints that Christ's
yoke is heavy, a rebellious rising against the
authority of Conscience, and a proud arguing
acjainst the Truth, or at least an endurance of
doubt and scoffing, and a light, unmeaning use
Matt, xviii. 3.

XVIL] THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER. 255

of sceptical arguments and assertions, these are
the beginnings of apostasy. Then come the affect-
ation of originality, the desire to appear manly
and independent, and the fear of the ridicule of
our acquaintance, all combining to make us first
speak, and then really think evil of the supreme
authority of religion. This gradual transgression
of the first commandment of the Law is generally
attended by a transgression of the fifth. In our
childhood we loved both religion and our home;
but as we learn to despise the voice of God, so do
we first affect, and then feel, an indifference
towards the opinions of our superiors and elders.
Thus our minds become gradually hardened
against the purest pleasures, both divine and
human.

As this progress in sin continues, our disobe-
dience becomes its own punishment. In propor-
tion as we lean to our own understanding, we are
driven to do so for want of a better guide. Our
first true guide, the light of innocence, is gradually
withdrawn from us ; and nothing is left for us but
to "grope and stumble in the desolate places,"
by the dim, uncertain light of reason. Thus we
are taken in our own craftiness. This is what
is sometimes called judicial blindness ; such as Pha-
raoh's, who, from resisting God's will, at length
did not know the difference between light and
darkness.

How far each individual proceeds in this bad

256 THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER. [Sebm.

course, depends on a variety of causes, into the
consideration of which I need not enter. Some
are frightened at themselves, and turn back into
the right way before it is too late. Others are
checked ; and though they do not seek God with
all their heart, yet are preserved from any strong
and full manifestation of the evil principles which
lurk within them ; and others are kept in a cor-
rect outward form of religion by the circumstances
in which they are placed. But there are others,
and these many in number, perhaps in all ranks
of life, who proceed onwards in evil ; and I will
go on to describe in part their condition, — the
condition, that is, of those in whom intellectual
power is fearfully unfolded amid the neglect of
moral truth.

The most common case, of course, is that of
those who, with their principles thus unformed,
or rather unsettled, become engaged, in the ordi-
nary way, in the business of life. Their first
simplicity of character went early. The violence
of passion followed, and was indulged ; and it is
gone, too, leaving (without their suspecting it)
most baneful effects on their mind ; just as some
diseases silently change the constitution of the
body. Lastly, a vain reason has put into disorder
their notions about moral propriety and duty,
both as to religion and the conduct of life. It
is quite plain, that, having nothing of that faith
which " overcomes the world," they must be

XVII] THE SELF-WISE LXQUIRER. 257

overcome by it. Let it not be supposed I am
speaking of some strange case which does not
concern us ; for what we know, it concerns some
of us most nearly. The issue of our youthful
trial in good and evil, probably has had some-
what of a decided character one way or the other ;
and we may be quite sure that, if it has issued in
evil, we shall not know it. Deadness to the
voice of God, hardness of heart, is one of the
very symptoms of unbelief God's judgments,
whether to the world or the individual, are not
loudly spoken. The decree goes forth to build or
destroy; Angels hear it; but we go on in the
way of the world as usual, though our souls may
have been, at least for a season, abandoned by
God. T mean, that it is not at all unlikely that,
in the case of some of those who now hear me, a
great part of their professed faith is a mere mat-
ter of words, not ideas and principles; that what
opinions they really hold by any exertion of their
own minds, have been reached by the mere exercise
of their intellect, the random and accidental use
of their mere reasoning powers, whether they be
strong or not, and are not the result of habitual,
firm, and progressive obedience to God, not the
knowledge which an honest and good heart im-
parts. Our religious notions may lie on the mere
surface of our minds, and have no root within
them ; and (I say) from this circumstance, — that
the indulgence of early passions, though forgotten
VOL. I. s

258 THE SELF- WISE INQUIRER. [Serm.

now, and the misapplication of reason in our youth,
have left an indelibly evil character upon our heart,
a judicial hardness and blindness. Let us think
of this ; it may be the state of those who have
had to endure only ordinary temptations, from the
growth of that reasoning faculty with which we are
all gifted.

But when that gift of reason is something
especial, — clear, brilliant, or powerful, — then our
danger is increased. The first sin of men of supe-
rior understanding is to value themselves upon it,
and look down upon others. They make intellect
the measure of praise and blame; and instead of
considering a common Jaith to be the bond of
union between Christian and Christian, tliey dream
of some other fellowship of civilization, refinement,
literature, science, or general mental illumination,
to unite gifted minds one with another. Having
thus cast down moral excellence from its true
station, and set up the usurped empire of mere
reason, next, they place a value upon all truths
exactly in proportion to the possibility of proving
them by means of that mere reason. Hence,
moral and religious truths are thought little of by
them, because they fall under the province of
Conscience far more than of the intellect. Religion
sinks in their estimation almost altogether; they
begin to think all religions alike ; and no wonder,
for they are like men who have lost the faculty of
discerning colours, and who never, by any exercise

XVII.] THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER. 259

of reason, can make out the difference between
white and black. The code of morals they acknow-
ledge in a measure, that is, so far as its dicta can
be proved by reasoning, by an appeal to sight, and
to expedience, and without reference to a natural
sense of right and wrong as the sanction of them.
Thinking much of intellectual advancement, they
are much bent on improving the world by making
aU men intellectual; and they labour to convince
themselves, that as men grow in knowledge they
will OTow in virtue.

o

As they proceed in their course of judicial
blindness, from undervaluing they learn to despise
or to hate the authority of Conscience. They
treat it as a weakness, to which all men indeed
are subject, — they themselves in the number, —
especially in seasons of sickness, but of which
they have cause to be ashamed. The notions of
better men about an over-ruling Providence, and
the Divine will, designs, appointments, works,
judgments, they treat with scorn, as irrational ;
especially if (as will often be the case) these
notions are conveyed in incorrect language, with
some accidental confusion or intellectual weakness
of expression.

And all these inducements to live by sight
and not by faith are greatly increased, when men
are engaged in any pursuit which properly belongs
to the intellect. Hence sciences conversant with
experiments on the material creation, tend to

s 2

260 THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER. [Serm.

make men forget the existence of spirit and the
Lord of spirits.

I will not pursue the course of infidelity into its
worst and grossest forms, but it may be instructive
before I conclude, to take the case of such a man
as I have been describing, when under the influence
of some relentings of conscience towards the close
of his life.

This is a case of no unfrequent occurrence ;
that is, it must frequently happen that the most
hardened conscience is at times visited bv sudden
compunctions, though generally they are but
momentary. But it sometimes happens, further
than this, that a man, from one cause or other,
feels he is not in a safe state, and struggles with
himself, and the struggle terminates in a manner
which affords a fresh illustration of the working
of that wisdom of the world, which in God's sight
is foolishness.

How shall a sinner, who has formed his cha-
racter upon unbelief, trusting sight and reason
rather than Conscience and Scripture, how shall
he begin to repent ? What must he do ? Is it
possible he can overcome himself, and new make
his heart in the end of his days? It is possible,
— not with man, but with God, who gives grace
to all who ask for it ; but in only one way, in
the way of His commandments, by a slow, tedious,
toilsome, self-discipline; slow, tedious, and toil-
some, that is, to one who has been long hardening

XVII] THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER. 261

himself in a dislike of it, and indulging himself in
the rapid flights and easy victories of his reason.
There is but one way to heaven ; the narrow
way ; and he who sets about to seek God, though
in old age, must begin at the same door as others.
He must retrace his way, and begin again with
the very beginning as if he were a boy. And so
proceeding, — labouring, watching, and praying, —
he seems likely, after all, to make but little pro-
gress during the brief remnant of his life ; both
because the time left to him is short, and because
he has to undo while he does a work ; — he has to
overcome that resistance from his old stout will
and hardened heart, which in youth he did not
experience.

Now it is plain how humbling this is to his
pride : he wishes to be saved ; but he cannot stoop
to be a penitent all his days : to beg he is ashamed.
Therefore he looks about for other means of
finding a safe hope. And one way among others
by which he deceives himself, is the idea that
he may gain religious knowledge merely by his
reason.

Thus it happens, that men who have led profli-
gate lives in their youth, or who have passed their
days in the pursuit of wealth, or in some other
excitement of the world, not unfrequently settle
•down into heresies in their latter years. Before,
perhaps, they professed nothing, and suffered
themselves to be called Christians and members

862 THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER. [Sekm.

of the Church; but at length, roused to inquire
after truth, and forgetting that the pure in heart
alone can see God, and therefore that they must
begin by a moral reformation, by self-denial, they
inquire merely by the way of reasoning. No
wonder they err ; they cannot understand any part
of the Church's system whether of doctrine or
discipline; yet they think themselves judges; and
they treat the most sacred ordinances and the most
solemn doctrines, with scorn and irreverence. Thus
*' the last state of such men is worse than the first."
In the words of the text, they ought to have be-
come fools, that they might have been in the end
really wise ; but they prefer another way, and are
taken in their own craftiness.

May we ever bear in mind, that the " fear of
the Lord is the beginning of wisdom ' ;" that obe-
dience to our conscience, in all things, great and
small, is the way to know the Truth ; that pride
hardens the heart, and sensuality debases it; and
that all those who live in pride and sensual in-
dulgence, can no more comprehend the ways of
the Holy Spirit, or know the voice of Christ, than
the devils who believe with a dead faith and
tremble !

" Blessed are they that do His commandments,
that they may have right to the tree of life, and
may enter in through the gates into the city" . . .

' Prov. i. 7.

XVII.] THE SELF-WISE INQUIRER. 263

where there is " no need of the sun, neither of the
moon to shine in it; for the glory of God doth
lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof ^"

^ Rev. xxi. 23. xxii. 14.

SERMON XVIII.

OBEDIENCE THE REMEDY FOR RELIGIOUS
PERPLEXITY.

Psalm xxxvii. 34.

" Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee
to inherit the land."

The Psalm from which I have taken my text, is
written with a view of encouraging good men
who are in perplexity, — and especially perplexity
concerning God's designs, providence, and will.
" Fret not thyself;" this is the lesson it inculcates
from first to last. This world is in a state of con-
fusion. Unworthy men prosper, and are looked on
as the greatest men of the time. Truth and
goodness are thrown into the shade; but wait
patiently, — peace, be still ; in the end, the better
side shall triumph, — the meek shall inherit the
earth.

Doubtless the Church is in great darkness and
perplexity under the Christian dispensation, as well
as under the Jewish. Not that Christianity does

OBEDIENCE THE REMEDY, &c. 265

not explain to us the most important religious
question, — which it does to our great comfort ;
but that, from the nature of the case, imperfect
beings, as we are, nmst always be, on the whole,
in a state of darkness. Nay, the very doctrines of
the New Testament themselves bring with them
their own peculiar difficulties ; and, till we learn
to quiet our minds, and to school them into sub-
mission to God, we shall probably find more
perplexity than information even in what St. Paul
calls " the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ'."
Revelation was not given us to satisfy doubts,
but to make us better men ; and it is as we become
better men, that it becomes light and peace to
our souls ; though even to the end of our lives we
shall find difficulties both in it and in the world
around us.

I will make some remarks to-day on the case of
those who, though they are in the whole honest
inquirers in religion, yet are more or less in per-
plexity and anxiety, and so are discouraged.

The use of difficulties to all of us in our trial
in this world is obvious. Our faith is variously
assailed by doubts and difficulties, in order to
prove its sincerity. If we really love God and
His Son, wo shall go on in spite of opposition,
even though, as in the case of the Canaanitish
woman, He seem to repel us. If we are not in

' 2 Cor. iv. 4.

266 OBEDIENCE THE REMEDY [Sekm.

earnest, difficulty makes us turn back. This is
one of the ways in which God separates the corn
from the chaff, gradually gathering each, as time
goes on, into its own heap, till the end comes,
when " He will gather the wheat into His garner,
but the chaff He will burn with fire unquench-
able ^"

Now, I am aware that to some persons it may
sound strange to speak of difficulties in religion,
for they find none at all. But though it is true,
that the earlier we begin to seek God in earnest,
the less of difficulty and perplexity we are likely
to endure, yet this ignorance of religious difficul-
ties in a great many cases, I fear, arises from
ignorance of religion itself When our hearts are
not in our work, and we are but carried on
with the stream of the world, continuing in the
Church because we find ourselves there, observing
religious ordinances merely because we are used
to them, and professing to be Christians because
others do, it is not to be expected that we
should know what it is to feel ourselves wrong,
and unable to get right, — to feel doubt, anxiety,
disappointment, discontent ; whereas, when our
minds are awakened, and we see that there is a
right way and a wrong way, and that we have
much to learn, when we try to gain religious
knowledge from Scripture, and to apply it to our-

' Luke iii. 17.

XVIII.] FOR RELIGIOUS PERPLEXITY. 26l

selves, then from time to time we are troubled with
doubts and misgivings, and are oppressed with
oloom.

To all those who are perplexed in any way
soever, who wish for light but cannot find it, one
precept must be given, — obe^. It is obedience
which brings a man into the right path ; it is
obedience keeps him there and strengthens him
in it. Under all circumstances, whatever be the
cause of his distress, — obey. In the words of the
text, " Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and
He shall exalt thee."

Let us apply this exhortation to the case of
those who have but lately taken up the subject
of religion at all. Every science has its difficulties
at first; why then should the science of living
well be without them ? When the subject of reli-
gion is new to us, it is strange. We have heard
truths all our lives without feeling them duly ; at
length, when they aflect us, we cannot believe
them to be the same we have long known. We
are thrown out of our fixed notions of things ; an
embarrassment ensues; a general painful uncer-
tainty. We say, " Is the Bible true ? Is it
possible ?" and are distressed by evil doubts,
which we can hardly explain to ourselves, much
less to others. No one can help us. And the
relative imj)ortance of present objects is so altered
from what it was, that we can scarcely form any
judgment upon them, or when we attempt it, we

2()8 OBEDIENCE THE REMEDY [Serm.

form a wrong judgment. Our eyes do not accom-
modate themselves to the various distances of the
objects before us, and are dazzled ; or like the blind
man restored to sight, we " see men as trees, walk-
ing'." Moreover, our judgment of persons, as well
as of things, is changed ; and, if not every where
changed, yet at first every where suspected by our-
selves. And this general distrust of ourselves is
the greater the longer we have been already living
in inattention to sacred subjects, and the more we
now are humbled and ashamed of ourselves. And
it leads us to take up with the first religious guide
who offers himself to us, whatever be his real fitness
for the office.

To these agitations of mind about what is truth
and what is error, is added an anxiety about our-
selves, which, however sincere, is apt to lead us
wrong. We do not feel, think, and act as religi-
ously as we could wish ; and while we are sorry
for it, we are also (perhaps) somewhat surprised
at it, and impatient at it, — which is natural but
unreasonable. Instead of reflecting that we are
just setting about our recovery from a most serious
disease of long standing, we conceive we ought to
be able to trace the course of our recovery by a
sensible improvement. This same impatience is
seen in persons who are recovering from bodily
indisposition. They gain strength slowly, and

' Mark viii. 24.

XVIH.] FOR RELIGIOUS PERPLEXITY. 26.9

are better perhaps for some days, and then worse
again ; and a slight relapse dispirits them. In
the same way, when we begin to seek God in
earnest, we are apt, not only to be humbled,
(which we ought to be,) but to be discouraged at
the slowness with which we are able to amend, in
spite of all the assistances of God's grace. For-
getting that our proper title at very best is that
of penitent sinners, we seek to rise all at once into
the blessedness of the sons of God. This impa-
tience leads us to misuse the purpose of self-ex-
amination ; which is principally intended to inform
us of our sins, whereas we are disappointed if it
does not at once tell us of our improvement.
Doubtless, in a length of time we shall be con-
scious of improvement too, but the object of
ordinary self-examination is to find out whether
we are in earnest, and again, what we have done
wrong, in order that we may pray for pardon, and
do better. Further, reading in Scripture how ex-
alted the thoughts and spirit of Christians should
be, we are apt to forget that a Christian spirit
is the growth of time ; and that we cannot force it
upon our minds, however desirable and necessary
it may be to possess it ; that by giving utterance
to religious sentiments we do not become religious,
rather the reverse ; whereas, if we strove to obey
God's will in all things, we actually should be
gradually training our hearts into the fulness of
a Christian spirit. But not understanding this,

270 OBEDIENCE THE REMEDY [Serm.

men are led to speak much and expressly upon
sacred subjects, as if it were a duty to do so, and
in the hope of its making them better; and they
measure their advance in faith and holiness, not
by their power of obeying God in practice, mas-
tering their will, and becoming more exact in their
daily duties, but by the warmth and energy of their
religious feelings. And, when they cannot sustain
these to that height which they consider almost
the characteristic of a true Christian, then they
are discouraged, and tempted to despair. Added
to this, sometimes their old sins, reviving from the
slumber into which they have been cast for a time,
rush over their minds, and seem prepared to take
them captive. They cry to God for aid, but He
seems not to hear them, and they know not which
way to look for safety.

Now such persons must be reminded first of
all, of the greatness of the work which they have
undertaken, viz. the sanctification of their souls.
Those, indeed, who think this an easy task or
(which comes to the same thing) who think that
though hard in itself, it will be easy to them, for
God's grace will take all the toil of it from them,
such men of course must be disappointed on find-
ing by experience the force of their original evil
nature, and the extreme slowness with which even
a Christian is able to improve it. And it is to
be feared that this disappointment in some cases
issues in a belief, that it is impossible to overcome

XVin.] FOR RELIGIOUS PERPLEXITY. 271

our evil selves ; that bad we are, bad we must be ;
that our innate corruption lies like a load in our
hearts, and no more admits of improvement than a
stone does of light and thought ; and, in consequence,
that all we have to do, is to believe in Christ
who is to save us, and to dwell on the thoughts of
His perfect work for us, — that this is all we can do,
— and that it is presumption as well as folly to
attempt more.

But what says the text? "Wait on the Lord
and keep his way." And Isaiah? "They that
wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles ; they
shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk
and not faint ^" And St. Paul? "I can do all
things through Christ which strengtheneth me ^."
The very fruit of Christ's passion was the gift of
the Holy Spirit, which was to enable us to do
what otherwise we could not do — " to work out our
own salvation ^." — Yet, while we must aim at this,
and feel convinced of our ability to do it at length
through the gifts bestowed on us, we cannot do
it rightly without a deep settled conviction of the
exceeding difficulty of the work. That is, not
only shall we be tempted to negligence, but to
impatience also, and thence into all kinds of un-
lawful treatments of the soul, if we be possessed
by a notion that religious discipline soon becomes

' Is. xl. 31. ^ Phil. iv. 13. => Phil. ii. 12.

27^ OBEDIENCE THE REMEDY [Serm.

easy to the believer, and that the heart is speedily
changed. Christ's " yoke is easy ': " true, to those
who are accustomed to it, not to the unbroken
neck. " Wisdom is very unpleasant to the un-
learned, (says the son of Sirach,) he that is without
understanding will not remain with her." " At the
first she will walk with him by crooked ways, and
bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him
with her discipline, until she may trust his soul
and try him by her laws. Then will she return
the straight way unto him, and comfort him, and
show him her secrets ^"

Let, then, every beginner make up his mind
to suffer disquiet and perplexity. He cannot com-
plain that it should be so ; and though he should
be deeply ashamed of himself that it is so, (for
had he followed God from a child, his condition
would have been far different, though, then,
perhaps, not without some perplexities,) still he
has no cause to be surprised or discouraged. The
more he makes up his mind manfully to bear
doubt, struggle against it, and meekly to do God's
will all through it, the sooner this unsettled state
of mind will cease, and order will rise out of con-
fusion. " Wait on the Lord," this is the rule ;
*' keep His way," this is the manner of waiting.
Go about your duty ; mind little things as well
as great. Do not pause, and say, "I am as I

' Matt. xi.30. ^ Ecclus. vi. 20. iv. 17, 18.

XVIII.] FOR RELIGIOUS PERPLEXITY. 213

was; day after day passes, and still no light;" go
on. It is very painful to be haunted by wander-
ing doubts, to have thoughts shoot across the
mind about the reality of religion altogether, or of
this or that particular doctrine of it, or about the
correctness of one's own faith, and the safety of
one's own state. But it must be right to serve
God ; we have a voice within us answering to the
injunction in the text of waiting on Him, and
keeping His way. David confesses it. " When
Thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said
unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek \" —
And surely such obedient waiting upon Him will
obtain His blessing. " Blessed are they that keep
His commandments." And besides this express
promise, even if we had to seek for a way to
understand His perfect will, could we conceive
one of greater promise than that of beginning
with little things, and so gradually making pro-
gress ? In all other things is not this the way to
perfection ? Does not a child learn to walk short
distances at first? Who would attempt to bear
great weights before he had succeeded with the
lesser? It is from God's great goodness that our
daily constant duty is placed in the performance
of small and comparatively easy services. To
be dutiful and obedient in ordinary matters, to
speak the truth, to be honest, to be sober, to

1 Psalm xxvii. 8.
VOL. I. T

274 OBEDIENCE THE REMEDY [Serm.

keep from sinful words and thoughts, to be kind
and forgiving, — and all this for our Saviour's sake,
— let us attempt these duties first. They even will
be difficult, — the least of them ; still they are much
easier than the solution of the doubts which harass
us, and they will by degrees give us a practical
knowledge of the Truth.

To take one instance, out of many which might
be given : suppose we have any perplexing, inde-
scribable doubts about the Divine power of our
Blessed Lord, or concerning the doctrine of the
Trinity; well, let us leave the subject, and turn
to do God's will. If we do this in faith and
humility, we shall in time find that, while we
have been obeying our Saviour's precepts, and
imitating His conduct in the Gospels, our diffi-
culties have been removed, though it may take
time to remove them ; and though we are not,
during the time, sensible of what is going on.
There may, indeed, be cases in which they are
never removed entirely, — and in which doubtless
some great and good object is secured by the
trial ; but we may fairly and safely look out for a
more comfortable issue. And so as regards all
our difficulties. " Wait on the Lord, and keep His
way." His word is sure ; we may safely trust it.
We shall gain light as to general doctrines by em-
bodying them in those particular instances in which
they become ordinary duties.

But it too often happens, that from one cause or

XVIII.] FOR RELIGIOUS PERPLEXITY. 275

other men do not pursue this simple method of
gradually extricating themselves from error. — They
seek some new path which promises to be shorter
and easier than the lowly and the circuitous way
of obedience. They wish to arrive at the heights
of Mount Zion without winding round its base ;
and at first (it must be confessed) they seem to
make greater progress than those who are content
to wait, and work righteousness. Impatient of
" sitting in darkness, and having no light," and of
completing the Prophet's picture of a saint in trou-
ble, "by fearing the Lord, and obeying the voice
of His servant V they expect to gain speedy peace
and holiness by means of new teachers, and by a
new doctrine.

Many are misled by confidence in themselves.
They look back at the first seasons of their re-
pentance and conversion, as if the time of their
greatest knowledge ; and instead of considering
that their earliest religious notions were probably
the most confused and mixed with error, and
therefore endeavouring to separate the good from
the bad, they consecrate all they then felt as a
standard of doctrine to which they are bound to
appeal; and as to the opinions of others, they
think Httle of it, for religion being a new subject
to themselves, they are easily led to think it
must be a new and untried subject to others also,

' Isaiah i. 10.

t2

276 OBEDIENCE THE REMEDY [Serm.

especially, since the best men are often the least
willing to converse, except in private, on religious
subjects, and still more averse to speak of them
to those who they think will not value them
rightly.

But, leaving the mention of those who err from
self-confidence, I would rather lament over such
as are led away from the path of plain simple
obedience by a compliance with the views and
wishes of those around them. Such persons there
are all through the Church, and ever have been.
Such perhaps have been many Christians in the
communion of the Church of Rome; who, feeling
deeply the necessity of a religious life, yet strive
by means different from those which God has
blessed, to gain His favour. They begin religion
at the very end of it, and make those observances
and rules the chief means of pleasing Him, which
in fact should be but the spontaneous acts of the
formed Christian temper. And others among our-
selves are bound by a similar yoke of bondage,
though it be more speciously disguised, when they
subject their minds to certain unscriptural rules,
and fancy they must separate in some self-devised
way from the world, and that they must speak and
act according to some arbitrary and novel form of
doctrine, which they try to set before themselves,
instead of endeavouring to imbue their hearts
with that free, unconstrained spirit of devotion,
which lowly obedience in ordinary matters would

XVIIL] FOR RELIGIOUS PERPLEXITY. 277

imperceptibly form within them. How many are
there, more or less such, who love the Truth, and
would fain do God's will, who yet are led aside
and walk in bondage, while they are promised
superior light and freedom ! They desire to be
living members of the Church, and they anxiously
seek out whatever they can admire in the true sons
of the Church ; but they feel forced to measure
every thing by a certain superstitious standard
which they revere, — they are frightened at shadows,
— and thus they are, from time to time, embar-
rassed and perplexed, whenever, that is, they cannot
reconcile the conduct and lives of those who are
really, and whom they wish to believe eminent
Christians, with that false religious system which
they have adopted.

Before concluding, I must notice one other
state of mind in which the precept of "waiting
on God and keeping his way," will avail, above
all others, to lead right a doubting and perplexed
mind.

Tt sometimes happens, from ill health or other
cause, that persons fall into religious despond-
ency. They fancy that they have so abused
God's mercy that there is no hope for them ;
that once they knew the Truth, but that now it
is withdrawn from them ; that they have had
warnings which they have neglected, and now
they are left by the Holy Spirit, and given over
to Satan. Then, they recollect divers passages of

^78 OBEDIENCE THE REMEDY [Serm.

Scripture, which speak of the peril of falling
away, and they apply these to their own case.
Now I speak of such instances, only so far as
they can be called ailments of the mind, — for
often they must be treated as ailments of the
body. As far as they are mental, let us observe
how it will conduce to restore the quiet of the
mind, to attend to the humble ordinary duties of
our station, that walking in God's way, of which
the text speaks. Sometimes, indeed, persons
thus afflicted increase their disorder by attempt-
ing to console themselves by those elevated
Christian doctrines which St. Paul enlarges on ;
and others encourage them in it. But St. Paul's
doctrine is not intended for weak and unstable
minds'. He says himself: "We speak wisdom
among them that are perfect;'' not to those who
are (what he calls) " babes in Christ ^" In pro-
portion as we gain strength, we shall be able to
understand and profit by the full promises of the
Christian covenant ; but those who are confused,
agitated, restless in their minds, who busy them-
selves with many thoughts, and are overwhelmed
with conflicting feelings, such persons are, in
general, made more restless and more unhappy,
(as the experience of sick beds may show us,) by
holding out to them doctrines and assurances
which they cannot rightly apprehend. Now, not

' 2 Pet. iii. 16. M Cor. ii. 6; iii. 1.

XVIIL] FOR RELIGIOUS PERPLEXITY. 279

to speak of that peculiar blessing which is pro-
mised to obedience to God's will, let us observe
how well it is calculated, by its natural effect, to
soothe and calm the mind. When we set about
to obey God, in the ordinary businesses of daily
life, we are at once interested by realities which
withdraw our minds from vague fears and uncer-
tain indefinite surmises about the future. With-
out laying aside the thoughts of Christ, (the con-
trary,) still we learn to view Him in His tranquil
providence, before we set about contemplating
His greater works, and we are saved from taking
an unchristian thought for the morrow, while we
are busied in present services. Thus our Saviour
gradually discloses Himself to the troubled mind ;
not as He is in heaven, as when He struck down
Saul to the ground, but as He was in the days of
His flesh, eating and conversing among His bre-
thren, and bidding us, in imitation of Him, think
no duty beneath the notice of those who sincerely
wish to please God.

Such afilicted inquirers, then, after truth, must
be exhorted to keep a guard upon their feelings,
and to control their hearts. They say they are
terrified lest they should be past hope ; and they
will not be persuaded that God is all-merciful,
in spite of all the Scriptures say to that eff^ect.
Well, then, I would take them on their own
ground. Supposing their state to be as wretched
as is conceivable, can they deny it is their duty

280 OBEDIENCE THE REMEDY [Sbrm.

now to serve God? Can they do better than try
to serve Him? Job said, "Though He slay me,
yet will I trust in Him ^" They say they do not
wish to serve God, — that they want a heart to
serve Him. Let us grant, (if they will have it
so,) that they are most obdurate; still they are
alive, — they must be doing something, and can
they do aught better than try to quiet themselves,
and be resigned, and to do right rather than
wrong, even though they are persuaded that it
does not come from their heart, and is not accept-
able to God? They say they dare not ask for
God's grace to assist them. This is doubtless a
miserable state : still, since they must act in some
way, though they cannot do what is really good
without His grace, yet, at least, let them do what
seems like truth and goodness. Nay, though
it is shocking to set before their minds such a
prospect, yet even were they already in the place
of punishment, will they not confess, it would be
the best thing they could do, to commit then as
little sin as possible? Much more then now,
when even if they have no hope, their heart at
least is not so entirely hardened as it will be
then.

It must not be for an instant supposed I am
admitting the possibility of a person being re-
jected by God, who has any such right feelings

* Job xiii. 15.

XVIII.] FOR RELIGIOUS PERPLEXITY. 281

in his mind. The anxiety of the sufferers I have
been describing, shows they are still under the
influence of Divine grace, though they will not
allow it ; but I say this, to give another instance
in which a determination to obey God's will
strictly in ordinary matters tends, through His
blessing, to calm and comfort the mind, and to
bring it out of perplexity into the clear day.

And so in various other cases which might be
recounted. Whatever our difficulty be, this is
plain. "Wait on the Lord, and keep His way,
and He shall exalt thee." Or in our Saviour's
words : " He that hath My commandments and
keepeth them, he it is that loveth me ; and he
that loveth Me, shall be loved of My Father, and
I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him."
"Whosoever shall do and teach these least com-
mandments, shall be called great in the kingdom
of heaven." " Whosoever hath, to him shall be
given, and he shall have more abundance \"

* John xiv. 21. Matt. v. 19 ; xiii. 12.

SERMON XIX.

TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER.

Matthew vi. 6.

" Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when
thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in
secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward
thee openly."

Here is our Saviour's own sanction and blessing
vouchsafed to private prayer, in simple, clear, and
most gracious words. The Pharisees were in the
practice, when they prayed by themselves, of
praying in public, in the corners of the streets ; a
strange inconsistency according to our notions,
since in our language prayer by oneself is ever
called private prayer. Public private prayer, this
was their self-contradictory practice. Warning,
then, His disciples against the particular form of
hypocrisy in which the self-conceit of human
nature at that day showed itself, our Lord pro-
mises in the text His Father's blessing on such
humble supplications as were really addressed to
Him, and not made to gain the praise of men.

TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 283

Those who seek the unseen God, (He seems to
say,) seek Him in their hearts and hidden thoughts,
not in loud words, as if He were far off from
them. Such men would retire from the world
into places where no human eye saw them, there
to meet Him humbly and in faith, who is " about
their path, and about their bed, and spieth out all
their ways." And He, the searcher of hearts,
would reward them openly. Prayers uttered in
secret, according to God's will, are treasured up
in God's Book of Life. They seem, perhaps, to
have sought an answer here, and to have failed.
Their memory perishes even in the mind of
the petitioner, and the world never knew of
them. But God is ever mindful, and in the
last day, when the books are opened, they shall
be disclosed and rewarded before the whole
world.

Such is Christ's gracious promise in the text,
acknowledging and blessing, in His condescension,
those devotional exercises which were a duty even
before Scripture enjoined them; and changing
into a privilege that work of faith, which, though
bidden by conscience, and authorized by reason,
yet before He revealed His mercy, is laden, in
every man's case who attempts it, with guilt, re-
morse, and fear. It is the Christian's unspeakable
privilege, and his alone, that he has at all times
free access to the throne of grace through the
mediation of his Lord and Saviour.

284 TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. [Sekm.

But, in what I shall now say concerning prayer,
I shall not consider it as a privilege, but as a duty ;
for till we have some experience of the duties of
religion, we are incapable of entering duly into the
privileges; and it is too much the fashion of the
day to view prayer chiefly as a mere privilege, such
a privilege as it is inconsiderate indeed to neglect,
but only inconsiderate, not sinful ; and optional to
use.

Now, we know well enough that we are bound
to be in one sense in prayer and meditation all
the day long. The question then arises, are
we to pray in any other way ? Is it enough to
keep our minds fixed upon God through the day,
and to commune with Him in our hearts, or is it
necessary, over and above this habitual faith, to
set apart particular times for the more systematic
and earnest exercise of it ? Need we pray at cer-
tain times of the day in a set manner? Public
worship, indeed, from its very nature, requires
places, times, and even set forms. But private
prayer does not necessarily require set times, be-
cause we have no one to consult but ourselves,
and we are always with ourselves ; nor forms, for
there is no one else whose thoughts are to keep
pace with ours. Still, though set times and forms
of prayer are not absolutely necessary in private
prayer, yet they are highly expedient; or rather,
times are actually commanded us by our Lord
in the text, " Thou, when thou pray est, enter into

XIX.] TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 285

thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door,
pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy
Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee
openly."

In these words certain times for private prayer,
over and above the secret thought of God which
must ever be alive in us, are clearly enjoined ; and
the practice of good men in Scripture gives us an
example in confirmation of the command. Even
our Saviour had His peculiar seasons of commun-
ing with God. His thoughts indeed were one
continued sacred service offered up to His Father ;
nevertheless, we read of His going up "into a
mountain apart to pray," and again, of His " con-
tinuing all night in prayer to God^" Doubtless,
you well recollect that solitary prayer of His, be-
fore His passion, thrice repeated, "that the cup
might pass from Him." St. Peter too, as in the
narrative of the conversion of Cornelius, the
Roman centurion, in the tenth chapter of the
Acts, went up upon the house-top to pray about
the sixth hour; then God visited him. And
Nathanael seems to have been in prayer under
the fig-tree, at the time our Saviour saw him, and
Philip called him^ I might multiply instances
from Scripture of such Israelites without guile;
which are of course applicable to us, because,

* Matt. xiv. 23. Luke vi. 12. * John i. 48.

286 TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. [Serm.

though they were under a Divine government
in many respects different from the Christian, yet
personal religion is the same at all times ; " the
just" in every dispensation "shall live by faith,"
and whatever reasons there were then for faith to
display and maintain itself by stated prayer, remain
substantially the same now. Let two passages
suffice. The Psalmist says, " Seven times a day do
I praise Thee, because of Thy righteous judg-
ments \" And Daniel's practice is told us on a
memorable occasion : " Now when Daniel knew
that the writing was signed, (the impious decree,
forbidding prayer to any but king Darius for thirty
days,) he went into his house, and his windows
being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he
kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and
prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did
aforetime ^"

It is plain, then, besides the devotional temper
in which we should pass the day, more solemn and
direct acts of worship, nay, regular and periodical,
are required of us by the precept of Christ, and His
own example, and that of His Apostles and Pro-
phets under both covenants.

Now it is necessary to insist upon this duty of
observing private prayer at stated times, because
amid the cares and hurry of life men are very apt

' Psalm cxix. 164. * Dan. vi. 10.

XIX] TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 287

to neglect it : and it is a much more important duty
than it is generally considered, even by those who
perform it.

It is important for the two reasons which
follow.

1. It brings religious subjects before the mind
in regular course. Prayer through the day, is
indeed the characteristic of a Christian spirit, but
we may be sure that, in most cases, those who do
not pray at stated times in a more solemn and
direct manner, will never pray well at other times.
We know in the common engagements of life,
the importance of collecting and arranging our
thoughts calmly and accurately before proceeding
to any important business, in order to the right
performance of it ; and so in that one really need-
ful occupation, the care of our eternal interests,
if we would have our minds composed, our de-
sires subdued, and our tempers heavenly through
the day, we must, before commencing the day's
employment, stand still awhile to look into our-
selves, and commune with our hearts, by way of
preparing ourselves for the trials and duties on
which we are entering. A like reason may be
assigned for evening prayer, viz. as affording us a
time of looking back on the day past, and sum-
ming up (as it were) that account, which, if we do
not reckon, at least God has reckoned, and written
down in that book which will be produced at the
judgment; a time of confessing sin, and of pray^

288 TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. [Sp.rm.

ing for forgiveness, of giving thanks for what we
have done well, and for mercies received, of
making good resolutions in reliance on the help
of God, and of sealing up and setting sure the
day past, at least as a stepping-stone of good for
the morrow. The precise times indeed of private
prayer are no where commanded us in Scripture ;
the most obvious are those I have mentioned,
morning and evening. In the texts just now
read to you, you heard of praying three times a
day, or seven times. All this depends of course on
the opportunities of each individual. Some men
have not leisure for this; but for morning and
evening prayer all men can and should make
leisure.

Stated times of private prayer, then, are useful
as impulses (so to say) to the continuous devotion
of the day. They instruct us and engage us in
what is ever our duty. It is commonly said, that
what is every one's business is practically no
one's ; this applies here. I repeat it, if we leave
religion as a subject of thought for all hours of
the day equally, it will be thought of in none.
In all things it is by small beginnings and ap-
pointed channels, that an advance is made to
extensive works. Stated times of prayer put us
in that posture (as I may call it) in which we
ought ever to be ; they urge us forward in a hea-
venly direction, and then the stream carries us
on. For the same reason it is expedient, if pos-

XIX.] TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 289

sible, to be solemn in the forms of our private
worship, in order to impress our minds. Our
Saviour kneeled down, fell on His face, and
prayed \ — so did His Apostles ^ ; and so did the
Saints of the Old Testament. Hence many per-
sons are accustomed (such as have the opportunity)
to set apart a particular place for their private
devotions; still for the same reason, to compose
their mind, — as Christ tells us in the text, to enter
into our closet.

•2. I now come to the second reason for stated
private prayer. Besides its tending to produce
in us lasting religious impressions, which I have
already enlarged upon, it is also a more direct
means of gaining from God an answer to our
requests. He has so sanctioned it in the text : —
"Shut thy door, and pray to thy Father, which
seeth in secret, and He shall reward thee openly.'*
We do not know how it is that prayer receives an
answer from God at all. It is strange, indeed,
that weak man should have strength to move
God ; but it is our privilege to know that we can
do so. The whole system of this world is a his-
tory of man's interfering with Divine decrees ;
and if we have the melancholy power of baffling
His good-will, to our own ruin, (an awftil, an
incomprehensible truth !) if, when He designs our

' Matt. XX vi. 39. Luke xxii. 41.
* Acts XX. 36 ; xxi. 5. Eph. iii. 14.
VOL. I. U

290 TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. [Sehm.

eternal salvation, we can yet annul our heavenly
election, and accomplish our eternal destruction,
much more have we the power to move Him
(blessed be His name !) when He, the Searcher of
hearts, discerns in us the mind of that Holy
Spirit, which " maketh intercession for the saints
according to His will." And, as He has thus pro-
mised an answer to our poor prayers, so it is not
more strange that prayers offered up at particular
times, and in a particular way, should have espe-
cially prevailing power with Him. And the reason
of it may be as follows. It is faith that is the
appointed means of gaining all blessings from God.
"All things are possible to him that believeth'."
Now, at stated times, when we gather up our
thoughts to pray, and draw out our petitions in an
orderly and clear manner, the act of faith is likely
to be stronger and more earnest ; then we realize
more perfectly the presence of that God whom
we do not see, and Him on whom once all our
gins were laid, who bore the weight of our infir-
mities and sicknesses once for all, that in all our
troubles we might seek Him, and find grace in
time of need. Then this world is more out of
sight, and we more simply appropriate those bless-
ings, which we have but to claim humbly and they
are really ours.

Stated times of prayer, then, are necessary,

' Mark ix. 23.

XIX.] TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 291

first, as a means of making the mind sober, and
the general temper more religious ; secondly, as a
means of exercising earnest faith, and therefore of
receiving a more certain blessing in answer, than
we should otherwise obtain.

Other reasons, doubtless, may be given; but
these are enough, not only as containing subject
for thought which may be useful to us, but be-
sides, as serving to show how wise and merciful
those Divine provisions really are, which our
vain minds are so apt to question. All God's
commands, indeed, ought to be received at
once upon faith, though we saw no reason for
them. It is no excuse for a man's disobeying
them, even if he thinks he sees reasons against
them ; for God knows better than we do. But in
great condescension He has allowed us to see
here and there His reasons for what He does
and enjoins ; and we should treasure up these
occasional notices as memorials against the time
of temptation, that when doubt and unbelief assail
us, and we are perplexed at His revealed word,
we may call to mind those former instances in
our own experience, where what at first seemed
strange and hard, on closer consideration was
found to have a wise end. Now the duty of
observing stated times of private prayer is one of
those concerning which we are apt to entertain
the unbelieving thoughts I have been describing.

It seems to us to be a form, or at least a light
u2

292 TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. [Sehm.

matter, to observe or omit ; whereas in truth, such
creatures are we, there is the most close and
remarkable connexion between small observances
and the permanence of our chief habits and prac-
tices. It is easy to see why it is irksome; be-
cause it presses upon us and is inconvenient. It
is a duty which claims our attention continually,
and its irksomeness leads our hearts to rebel ; and
then we proceed to search for reasons to justify
our own dislike of it. Nothing is more difficult
than to be disciplined and regular in our religion.
It is very easy to be religious by fits and starts,
and to keep up our feelings by artificial stimu-
lants ; but regularity seems to trammel us, and
we become impatient. This is especially the case
with those to whom the world is as yet new,
and who can do as they please. Religion is the
chief subject which meets them, which enjoins
regularity; and they bear it only so far as they
can make it look like things of this world, curious,
or changeable, or exciting. Satan knows his ad-
vantage here. He perceives well enough that
stated private prayer is the very emblem and
safeguard of true devotion to God, as impress-
ing on us and keeping up in us a rule of con-
duct. He who gives up regularity in prayer has
lost a principal means of reminding himself that
spiritual life is obedience to a Lawgiver, not a
mere feeling or a taste. Hence it is that so many
persons, especially in the polished ranks of society.

XIX] TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 293

who are out of the way of temptation to gross
vice, fall away into a mere luxurious self-in-
dulgent devotion, which they take for religion ;
they reject every thing which implies self-denial,
and regular prayer especially. Hence it is that
others run into all kinds of enthusiastic fancies;
because, by giving up set private prayer in writ-
ten forms, they have lost the chief rule of their
hearts. Accordingly, you will hear them exclaim
against regular prayer, (which is the very medi-
cine suited to their disease,) as a formal service,
and maintain that times and places and fixed
words are beneath the attention of a spiritual
Christian. And others, who are exposed to the
seductions of sin, altogether fall away from the
same omission. Be sure, my brethren, whoever
of you is persuaded to disuse his morning and
evening prayers, is giving up the armour which
is to secure him against the wiles of the Devil.
If you have left off the observance of them, you
may fall any day; — and you will fall without
notice. For a time you will go on, seeming to
yourselves to be the same as before ; but the
Israelites might as well hope to lay in a stock of
manna as you of grace. You pray God for your
daily bread, your bread day by day ; and if you
have not prayed for it this morning, it will profit
you little that you prayed for it yesterday. You
did then pray and you obtained, — but not a sup-
ply for two days. When you have given over

29i TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. [Serm.

the practice of stated prayer, you gradually be-
come weaker without knowing it. Samson did
not know he had lost his strength till the Philis-
tines came upon him ; you will think yourselves
the men you used to be, till suddenly your adver-
sary will come furiously upon you, and you will
as suddenly fall. You will be able to make little
or no resistance. This is the path which leads
to death. Men first leave off private prayer ;
then they neglect the due observance of the
Lord's day (which is a stated service of the same
kind) ; then they gradually let slip from their
minds the very idea of obedience to a fixed eter-
nal law; then they actually allow themselves in
things which their conscience condemns ; then
they lose the direction of their conscience, which
being ill used, at length refuses to direct them.
And thus, being left by their true inward guide,
they are obliged to take another guide, their
reason, which by itself knows little or nothing
about religion ; then this their blind reason forms
a system of right or wrong for them, as well as it
can, flattering to their own desires, and presump-
tuous where it is not actually corrupt. No won-
der such a scheme contradicts Scripture, which
it is soon found to do; not that they are certain
to perceive this themselves ; they often do not
know it, and think themselves still believers in
the Gospel, while they maintain doctrines which
the Gospel condemns. But sometimes they per-

XIX.] TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 295

ceive that their system is contrary to Scripture ;
and then, instead of giving it up, they give up
Scripture, and profess themselves unbelievers.
Such is the course of disobedience, beginning in
(apparently) slight omissions, and ending in open
unbelief; and all men who walk in the broad way
which leads to destruction are but in different
stages of it, one more advanced than another, but
all in one way. And I have spoken of it here, in
order to remind you how intimately it is connected
with the neglect of set private prayer ; whereas,
he who is strict in the observance of prayer morn-
ing and evening, praying with his heart as well as
his lips, can hardly go astray, for every morning
and evening brings him a monitor to draw him
back and restore him.

Beware then of the subtilty of your Enemy,
who would fain rob you of your defence. Do not
yield to his bad reasonings. Be on your guard
especially, when you get into novel situations or
circumstances which interest and delight you,
lest they throw you out of your regularity in
prayer. Any thing new or unexpected is dan-
gerous to you. Going much into mixed society,
and seeing many strange persons, taking share in
any pleasant amusements, reading interesting
books, entering into a new line of life, forming
some new acquaintance, the prospect of any
worldly advantage, travelling ; all these things and
such like, innocent as they are in themselves, and

296 TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER. [Sekm.

capable of a religious use, become means of temp-
tation if we are not on our guard. See that you
are not unsettled by them ; this is the danger ; fear
becoming unsettled. Consider that stability of
mind is the chief of virtues, for it is Faith. " Thou
wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is
stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee ' ;"
this is the promise. But " the wicked are like
the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters
cast up mire and dirt ; there is no peace, saith my
God, to the wicked ^" Nor to the wicked only,
in our common sense of the word " wicked," but
to none is there rest, who in any way leave their
God, and rove after the goods of this world. Do
not indulge visions of earthly good, fix your hearts
on higher things, let your morning and evening
thoughts be points of rest for your mind's eye, and
let those thoughts be upon the narrow way, and
the blessedness of heaven, and the glory and
power of Christ your Saviour. Thus will you be
kept from unseemly risings and fallings, and
steadied in an equable way. Men in general will
know nothing of this; they witness not your
private prayers, and they will confuse you with
the multitude they fall in with. But your friends
and acquaintance will gain a light and a comfort
from your example ; they will see your good works,
and be led to trace them to their true secret

* Isaiah xxvi. 3, ' Isaiah Ivii. 20, 21.

XIX.]

TIMES OF PRIVATE PRAYER.

297

source, the influences of the Holy Ghost sought
and obtained by prayer. Thus they will glorify
your heavenly Father, and in imitation of you will
seek Him ; and He who seeth in secret, shall at
length reward you openly.

SERMON XX.

FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER.

Luke xi. 1.
" Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."

These words express the natural feelings of the
awakened mind, perceiving its great need of God's
help, yet not understanding well what its parti-
cular wants are, or how they are to be relieved.
The disciples of John the Baptist, and the dis-
ciples of Christ, waited on their respective Masters
for instruction Jiow to pray. It was in vain that
the duty of repentance was preached to the one,
and of faith to the other ; in vain that God's mer-
cies and His judgments were set before them, and
their own duties; they seem to have all that
was necessary for making prayers for themselves,
yet they could not ; their hearts were full, but
they remained dumb ; they could offer no peti-
tion except to be taught to pray ; they knew the
Truth, but they could not use it. So different a

FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 299

thing is it to be instructed in religion, and to have
so mastered it in practice, that it is altogether our
own.

Their need has been the need of Christians ever
since. All of us in childhood, and most men ever
after, require direction how to pray ; and hence
the use of Forms of prayer, which have always ob-
tained in the Church. John taught his disciples ;
Christ gave the Apostles the prayer which is dis-
tinguished by the name of the Lord's Prayer;
and after He had ascended on high, the Holy
Spirit has given us excellent services of devotion
by the mouth of those blessed saints, whom from
time to time He has raised up to be overseers in
the Church. In the words of St. Paul, "We
know not what we should pray for as we ought ^ ;"
but "the Spirit helpeth our infirmities;" and that,
not only by guiding our thoughts, but by directing
our words.

This, I say, is the origin of Forms of prayer, of
which I mean to speak to-day ; viz. these two un-
deniable truths, first, that all men have the same
spiritual wants, and, secondly, that they cannot
of themselves express them.

Now it has so happened, that in these latter
times self-wise reasoners have arisen who have
questioned the use of Forms of prayer, and have
thought it better to pray out of their own thoughts

' Rom. viii. 26.

SOO FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. [Serm.

at random, using words which come into their
minds at the time they pray. It may be right,
then, that we should have some reason at hand
for our use of those Forms, which we have adopted
because they were handed down to us. Not, as
if it were not quite a sufficient reason for using
them, that we have received them, and (in St.
Paul's words,) that " neither we nor the Churches
of God have known any other custom V' and
that the best of Christians have ever used them ;
for this is an abundantly satisfactory reason ; — nor
again, as if we could hope by reasons ever so
good, to persuade those who inquire of us, which
most likely we shall not be able to do ; for a man
is far gone in extravagance who deliberately de-
nies the use of Forms, and is likely to find our
reasons as difficult to receive as the practice we
are defending; — so that we can only say of such
men, after St. Paul's manner, "if any man be
ignorant, let him be ignorant," there is no help
for it. But it may be useful to show you how
reasonable the practice is, in order that you
yourselves may turn it to better account ; for
when we know why we do a thing, we are
likely (the same circumstances being supposed)
to do it more comfortably than when we obey
ignorantly.

Now, I suppose no one is in any difficulty

' 1 Cor. xi. 16.

XX.] FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 301

about the use of Forms of prayer in public worship ;
for common sense almost will tell us, that when
many are to pray together as one man, if their
thoughts are to go together, they must agree before-
hand what is to be the subject of their prayers,
nay, what the words of their prayers, if there is
to be any certainty, composure, ease, and regu-
larity, in their united devotions. To be present
at extempore prayer, is to hear prayers. Nay, it
might happen, or rather often would happen, that
we did not understand what was said ; and then
the person praying is scarcely praying " in a
tongue understanded of the people" (as our
Article expresses it) ; he is rather interceding
for the people, than praying with them, and leading
their worship. In the case, then, of public prayer
the need of forms is evident ; but it is not at first
sight so obvious that in private prayer also we need
use written Forms, instead of praying extempore
(as it is called) ; so I proceed to show the use of
them.

1. Let us bear in mind the precept of the wise
man. " Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not
thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before
God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon
earth ; therefore let thy words be few '." Prayers
framed at the moment are likely to become irre~
verent. Let us consider for a few moments before

' Eccles. V. 2.

80g FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. [Serm.

we pray, into whose presence we are entering, —
the presence of God. What need have we of
humble, sober, and subdued thoughts ! as becomes
creatures, sustained hourly by His bounty ; — as be-
comes lost sinners who have no right to speak at
all, but must submit in silence to Him who is
holy ; and still more, as grateful servants of Him
who bought us from ruin at the price of His own
blood ; meekly sitting at His feet like Mary to
learn and to do His will, and like the penitent at
the great man's feast, quietly adoring Him, and
doing Him service without disturbance, washing
His feet (as it were) with our tears, and anointing
them with precious ointment, as having sinned
much and needing a large forgiveness. There-
fore, to avoid the irreverence of many or unfit
words and rude half-religious thoughts, it is neces-
sary to pray from book or memory, and not at
random.

It may be objected, that this reason for using
Forms proves too much ; viz. that it would be
wrong ever to do without them ; which is an over-
rigorous bond upon Christian liberty. But I
reply, that reverence in our prayers will be suf-
ficiently secured, if at our stated seasons for prayer
we make use of Forms. For thus a tone and cha-
racter will be imparted to our devotion throughout
the day ; nay, even the very petitions and ejacula-
tions will be supplied, which we need. And
much more will our souls be influenced by the

I

XX.] FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 303

power of them, at the very time we are using
them ; so that, should the occasion require, we
shall find ourselves able to go forward naturally
and soberly into such additional supplications, as
are of too particular or private a nature, to admit
of being written down in set words.

2. In the next place, forms of prayer are neces-
sary to guard us against the irreverence of wander-
ing thoughts. If we pray without set words (read
or remembered), our minds will stray from the sub-
ject ; other thoughts will cross us, and we shall
pursue them ; we shall lose sight of His presence
whom we are addressing. This wandering of mind
is in good measure prevented, under God's blessing,
by Forms of prayer. Thus a chief use of them is
that oijia^ing the attention.

3. Next, they are useful in securing us from
the irreverence of excited thoughts. And here
there is room for saying much ; for, it so happens
Forms of prayer are censured for the very cir-
cumstance about them which is their excellence.
They are accused of impeding the current of de-
votion, when, in fact, that (so called) current is in
itself faulty, and ought to be checked. And those
persons (as might be expected) are most eager in
their opposition to them, who require more than
others the restraint of them. They sometimes
throw their objection into the following form,
which it may be worth while to consider. They
say, " If a man is in earnest, he will soon find

304 FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER [Serm.

words ; there is no need of a set Form of prayer.
And if he is not in earnest, a Form can do him
no good." Now that a man who is in earnest will
soon find words, is true or not true, according
to what is meant by being in earnest. It is true
that at certain times of strong emotion, grief or
joy, remorse or fear, our religious feelings outrun
and leave behind them any Form of words. In
such cases not only is there no need of Forms of
prayer, but it is perhaps impossible to write Fwms
of prayer for Christians agitated by such feelings.
For each man feels in his own way, — perhaps no
two men exactly alike ; — and we can no more write
down how men ought to pray at such times, than
we can give rules how they should weep or be
merry. The better men they are, of course the
better they will pray in such a trying time; but
you cannot make them better; they must be left
to themselves. And, though good men have be-
fore now set down in writing Forms of prayer
for persons so circumstanced, these were doubtless
meant rather as patterns and helps, or as admoni-
tions and (if so be) quietings of the agitated mind,
than as prayers which it was expected would be
used literally and entirely in their detail. As a
general rule, Forms of prayer should not be written
in strong and impassioned language ; but should
be calm, composed, and short. Our Saviour's own
prayer is our model in this respect. How few are
its petitions ! how soberly expressed ! \\o\\ reve-

XX.] FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 305

rently ! and at the same time how deep are they,
and how comprehensive ! — I readily grant, then,
that there are times when the heart outruns any
written words ; as the jailor cried out, " What shall
I do to be saved ?" Nay, rather I would maintain
that set words should not attempt to imitate the
impetuous workings to which all minds are subject
at times in this world of change, (and therefore
religious minds in the number,) lest one should
seem to encourage them.

Still the question is not at all settled ; granting
there are times when a thankful or a wounded
heart bursts through all Forms of prayer, yet these
are not frequent. To be excited is not the ordi-
nary state of the mind, but the extraordinary, the
now and then state. Nay, more than this, it
ought not to be the common state of the mind;
and if we are encouraging within us this excite-
ment, this unceasing rush and alternation of feel-
ings, and think that this, and this only, is being
in earnest in religion, we are harming our minds,
and (in one sense) T may even say, grieving the
peaceful Spirit of God, which would silently and
tranquilly work His Divine work in our hearts.
This, then, is an especial use of Forms of prayer,
when we are in earnest, as we ought always to be,
viz. to keep us from irreverent earnestness, to still
emotion, to calm us, to remind us what and where
we are, to lead us to a purer and serener temper,
and to that deep unruffled love of God and man,

VOL. I. X

306 FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. [Serm.

which is really the fulfilling of the law, and the
perfection of human nature.

Then, again, as to the usefulness of Forms, if we
are 7iot in earnest, this also is true or not, as we
may take it. For there are degrees of earnest-
ness. Let us recollect, the power of praying,
being a habit, must be acquired, like all other
habits, by practice. In order at length to pray
well, we must begin by praying ill, since ill is all
we can do. Is not this plain? Who, in the
case of any other work, would wait till he could
do it perfectly, before he tried it? The idea is
absurd. Yet those who object to Forms of prayer
on the ground just mentioned, fall into this strange
error. If, indeed, we could pray and praise God,
like the Angels, we might have no need of Forms
of prayer ; but Forms are to teach those who pray
poorly to pray better. They are helps to our
devotion, as teaching us what to pray for, and
how, as St. John and our Lord taught their dis-
ciples ; and, doubtless, even the best of us prays
but poorly, and needs the help of them. However,
the persons I speak of, think that prayer is nothing
else but the bursting forth of strong feeling, not
the action of a habit, but an emotion, and, there-
fore, of course to such men the very notion of learn-
ing to pray seems absurd. But this indulgence of
emotion is in truth founded on a mistake, as I have
already said.

4. Further, forms are useful to help our memwy.

XX.] FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 307

and to set before us at once, completely, and in
order, what we have to pray for. It does not
follow, that when the heart is really fall of the
thought of God, and alive to the reality of things
unseen, then it is easiest to pray. Rather, the deeper
insight we have into His Majesty and our innu-
merable wants, the less we shall be able to draw
out our thoughts into words. The publican could
only say, " God be merciful to me a sinner ;" this
was enough for his acceptance; but to offer such
a scanty service was not to exercise the gift of
prayer, the privilege of a ransomed and exalted
son of God. He whom Christ has illuminated
with His grace, is heir of all things. He has an
interest in the world's multitude of matters. He
has a boundless sphere of duties within and with-
out him. He has a glorious prospect before him.
The saints shall hereafter judge the world; and
shall they not here take cognizance of its doings ?
are they not in one sense counsellors and confi-
dential servants of their Lord, intercessors at the
throne of grace, the secret agents by and for
whom He guides His high Providence, and carries
on the nations to their doom ? And in their own
persons is forgiveness merely and acceptance (ex-
treme blessings as these are) the scope of their
desires ? else might they be content with the pub-
lican's prayer. Are they not rather bidden to go
on to perfection, to use the Spirit given them,
to enlarge and purify their own hearts, and to

x2

308 FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. [Serm.

draw out the nature of man into the fulness of its
capabihties after the image of the Son of God ?
And for the thought of all these objects at once
who is sufficient ? Whose mind is not overpowered
by the view of its own immense privilege, so as
eagerly to seek for words of prayer and intercession
carefully composed according to the number and
the nature of the various petitions it has to offer ?
so that he who prays without plan, is in fact losing
a great part of the privilege with which his Bap-
tism has gifted him.

5. And further, the use of a Form as a help to
the memory is still more obvious, when we take
into account the engagements of this world with
which most men are surrounded. The cares and
businesses of life press upon us with a reality
which we cannot overlook. Shall we trust the
matters of the next world to the chance thoughts
of our own minds, which come this moment, and
go the next, and may not be at hand when the
time of employing them arrives, like unreal visions,
having no substance and no permanence? This
world is Satan's efficacious Form, it is the instru-
ment through which he spreads out in order and
attractiveness his many snares ; and these doubtless
will engross us, unless we also give form to the
spiritual objects towards which we pray and labour.
How short are the seasons which most men have
to give to prayer? Before they can collect their
memories and minds, their leisure is almost over.

XX.] FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 309

even if they have the power to dismiss the thoughts
of this world, which just before engaged them.
Now forms of prayer do this /or them. They
keep the ground occupied, that Satan may not
encroach upon the seasons of devotion. They are
a standing memorial, to which we can recur as to a
temple of God, finding every thing in order for our
worship as soon as we go into it, though the time
allotted us at morning and evening be ever so cir-
cumscribed.

6. And this use of Forms in prayer becomes
great, beyond power of estimating, in the case of
those multitudes of men, who, after going on well
for a while, fall into sin. If even conscientious
men require continual aids to be reminded of the
next world, how extreme is the need of those who
try to forget it ! It cannot be denied, fearful as it
is to reflect upon it, that far the greater number
of those who come to manhood, for a while (at
least) desert the God who has redeemed them;
and, then, if in their earlier years they have
learned and used no prayers or psalms by which
to worship Him, what is to keep them from blot-
ting altogether from their minds the thought of
religion ? But here it is that the Forms of the
Church have ever served her children, both to re-
strain them in their career of sin, and to supply
them with ready utterance on their repentance.
Chance words and phrases of her services adhere
to their memories, rising up in moments of tempta-

310 FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. [Serm.

tion or of trouble, to check or to recover them.
And hence it happens, that in the most irreligious
companies a distinction is said to be observable
between those who have had the opportunity of
using our public Forms in their youth, and those
whose religious impressions have not been thus
happily fortified ; so that, amid their most reckless
mirth, and most daring pretence of profligacy, a
sort of secret reverence has attended the wan-
derers, restraining them from that impiety and
profaneness in which the others have tried to con-
ceal from themselves the guilt and peril of their
doings.

And again on their repentance, (should they
be favoured with so high a grace,) what friends do
they seem to find amid their gloom in the words
they learned in their boyhood, — a kindly voice,
aiding them to say what they otherwise would not
know how to say, guiding and composing their
minds upon those objects of faith which they
ought to look to, but cannot find of themselves,
and so (as it were) interceding for them with the
power of the blessed Spirit, while nature can but
groan and travail in pain ! Sinners as they are
by their own voluntary misdeeds, and with a pro-
spect of punishment before them, enlightened by
but few and faint gleams of hope, what shall
keep them from feverish restlessness, and all the
extravagance of fear, what shall soothe them into
a fixed, resigned waiting for their Judge, and

XX.] FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 311

such lowly eflforts to obey Him, however poorly, as
become a penitent, but those words, long buried in
their minds, and now rising again as if with the
life of their uncorrupted boyhood ? It requires no
great experience of sick beds to verify the truth of
this statement. Blessed, indeed, is the power of
those formularies, which thus succeed in throwing
a sinner for a while out of himself, and in bringing
before him the scenes of his youth, his guardian
friends now long departed, their ways and their
teaching, their pious services, and their peaceful
end ; and though all this is an excitement, and
lasts but for a season, yet, if improved, it may be
converted into an habitual contemplation of per-
sons and deeds which now live to God, though
removed hence, — if improved by acting upon it,
it will become an abiding motive to seek the world
to come, an abiding persuasion, winning him from
the works of darkness, and raising him to the hum-
ble hope of future acceptance with his Saviour and
Judge.

7. Such is the force of association in undoing
the evil of past years, and recalling us to the
innocence of children. Nor is this all we may
gain from the prayers we use, nor are penitent
sinners the only persons who can profit by it.
Let us recollect for how long a period our prayers
have been the standard Forms of devotion in the
Church of Christ, and we shall gain a fresh
reason for loving them, and a fresh source of

312 FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. [Sekm.

comfort in using them. I know different persons
will feel differently here, according to their dif-
ferent turn of mind ; yet surely there are few of
us, if we dwelt on the thought, but would feel it
a privilege to use, as we do, (for instance, in the
Lord's Prayer,) the very petitions which Christ
spoke. He gave the prayer and used it. His
Apostles used it; all the Saints ever since have
used it. When we use it we seem to join company
with them. Who does not think himself brought
nearer to any celebrated man in history, by seeing
his house, or his furniture, or his handwriting, or
the very books that were his ? Thus does the
Lord's Prayer bring us near to Christ, and to His
disciples in every age. No wonder, then, that in
past times good men thought this form of prayer
so sacred, that it seemed to them impossible to
say it too often, as if some especial grace went
with the use of it. Nor can we use it too often ;
it contains in itself a sort of plea for Christ's
Hstening to us; we cannot, so that we keep our
thoughts fixed on its petitions, and use our minds
as well as our lips when we repeat it. And what
is true of the Lord's Prayer, is in its measure true
of most of those prayers which our Church teaches
us to use. It is true of the Psalms also, and of the
Creeds ; all of which have become sacred, from
the memory of saints departed who have used
them, and whom we hope one day to meet in
heaven.

XX.] FORMS OF PRIVATE PRAYER. 313

One caution I give in conclusion as to using
these thoughts. Beware lest your religion be one
of sentiment merely, not of practice. Men may
speak in a high imaginative way of the ancient
Saints and the Holy Apostolic Church, without
making the fervour or refinement of their devotion
bear upon their conduct. Many a man likes to be
religious in graceful language ; he loves religious
tales and hymns, yet is never the better Christian
for all this. The works of every day, these are
the tests of our glorious contemplations, whether
or not they shall be available to our salvation ;
and he who does one deed of obedience for Christ's
sake, let him have no imagination and no fine
feeling, is a better man, and returns to his home
justified rather than the most eloquent speaker,
and the most sensitive hearer, of the glory of the
Gospel, if such men do not practise up to their
knowledge.

SERMON XXL

THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY.

Luke xx. 37, 38.

" Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush,
when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For He is not a God of the
dead, but of the living ; for all live unto Him."

These words of our Saviour show us how much
more there is in Scripture than at first siglit
appears. God spoke to Moses in the burning
bush, and called Himself the " God of Abra-
ham ;" and Christ tells us, that in this simple
announcement was contained the promise that
Abraham should rise again from the dead. In
truth, if we may say it with reverence, the All-
vnse, All-knowing God cannot speak without
meaning many things at once. He sees the end
from the beginning ; He understands the num-
berless connexions and relations of all things one
with another. Every word of His is full of in-
struction, looking many ways ; and though it is

THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 315

not often given to us to know these various senses,
and we are not at liberty to attempt lightly to
imagine them, yet, as far as they are told us,
and as far as we may reasonably infer them, we
must thankfully accept them. Look at Christ's
words, and this same character of them strikes
us ; whatever He says is fruitful in meaning, and
refers to many things. It is well to keep this in
mind when we read Scripture ; for it may hinder
us from self-conceit, from studying it in an
arrogant critical temper, and from giving over
reading it, as if we had got from it all that can be
learned.

Now let us consider in what sense the text con-
tains a promise of a resurrection, and see what
instruction may be gained from knowing it.

When God called Himself the God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, He implied that those holy patri-
archs were still alive, though they were no more
seen on earth. This may seem evident at first
sight ; but it may be asked, how the text proves
that their bodies would live ; for, if their souls were
still living, that would be enough to account for
their being still called in the Book of Exodus,
servants of God. This is the point to be con-
sidered. Our Blessed Lord seems to tell us, that
in some sense or other Abraham's body might be
considered still alive as a pledge of his resurrection,
though it was dead in the common sense in which
we apply the word. His announcement is, Abra-

S16 THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. [Sbrm.

ham shall rise from the dead, because in truth, he
is still alive. He cannot in the end be held under
the power of the grave, more than a sleeping man
can be kept from waking. Abraham is still alive
in the dust, though not risen thence. He is alive
because all God's saints live to Him, though they
seem to perish.

It may seem a paradox to say, that our bodies,
even when dead, are still alive ; but since our
Lord seems to countenance us in saying so, I will
say it, though a strange saying, because it has an
instructive meaning. We are apt to talk about
our bodies as if we knew how or what they really
were ; whereas we only know what our eyes tell
us. They seem to grow, to come to maturity,
to decay; but after all we know no more about
them than meets our senses, and there is, doubt-
less, much which God sees in our material frames,
which we cannot see. We have no direct cogni-
zance of what may be called the substantive
existence of the body, only of its accidents.
Again, we are apt to speak of soid and body^ as if
we could distinguish between them, and knew
much about them ; but for the most part we use
words without meaning. It is useful indeed to
make the distinction, and Scripture makes it ; but
after all, the Gospel speaks of our nature, in a
religious sense, as one. Soul and body make up
one man, which is born once, and never dies.
Philosophers of old time thought the soul indeed

XXI. J THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY 317

might live for ever, but that the body perished at
death; but Christ tells us otherwise, He tells us
the body will live for ever. In the text He seems
to intimate that it never really dies ; that we lose
sight indeed of what we are accustomed to see, but
that God still sees the elements of it which are not
exposed to our senses.

God graciously called Himself the God of Abra-
ham. He did not say the God of Abraham's soul,
but simply of Abraham. He blest Abraham, and
He gave him eternal life ; not to his soul only
without his body, but to Abraham as one man.
And so He is our God, and it is not given us to
distinguish between what He does for our different
natures, spiritual and material. These are mere
words ; each of us may feel himself to be one, and
that one being, in all its substantial parts, and attri-
butes, will never die.

You will see this more clearly by considering
what our Saviour says about the blessed Sacra-
ment of His Supper. He says He will give us His
flesh to eat^ How is this done? we do not know.
He gives it under the outward symbols of bread
and wine. But in what real sense is the conse-
crated bread His body ? It is not told us, we may
not inquire. We say indeed sfirituaUy^ sacra-
mentally, in a heavenly way; but this is in order
to impress on our minds religious, and not carnal

John vi. 51.

318 THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. [Serm.

notions of it. All we are concerned to know is,
the effect upon us of partaking this blessed food.
Now observe what He tells us about that. " Ex-
cept ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink
His blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth
My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life,
and I will raise Jiim up at the last day^T Now
there is no distinction made here between soul
and body. Christ's blessed Supper is food to us
altogether, whatever we are, soul, body, and all.
It is the seed of eternal life within us, the food
of immortality, to " preserve our body and soul
unto everlasting life^" The forbidden fruit
wrought in Adam unto death ; but this is the fruit
which makes us live for ever. Bread sustains us
in this temporal life ; the consecrated bread is the
means of eternal strength for soul and body. Who
could live this visible life without earthly food ?
And in the same general way the Supper of the
Lord is the " means " of our living for ever. We
have no reason for thinking we shall live for ever

' John vi. 53, 54.

' "In the Supper of the Lord there is no vain ceremony, no
bare sign, no untrue figure of a thing absent ; but as the Scrip-
ture says, the communion of the Body and Blood of the

Lord, in a marvellous incorporation, which by the operation of

the Holy Ghost is through faith wrought in the souls of

the faithful, whereby not only their souls live to eternal life,
but they surely trust to win their bodies a resurrection to immor-
tality."— Homily on the Sacrament, Part I.

XXI.] THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 319

unless we eat it, no more than we have reason to
think our temporal life will be sustained without
meat and drink. God can, indeed, sustain us, " not
by bread alone ;" but this is His ordinary means,
which His will has made such. He can sustain our
immortality without the Christian Sacraments, as
He sustained Abraham and the other saints of old
time ; but under the Gospel these are His means,
which He appointed at His will. We eat the
sacred bread, and our bodies become sacred ; they
are not ours ; they are Christ's ; they are instinct
with that flesh which saw not corruption ; they are
inhabited by His Spirit ; they become immortal ;
they die but to appearance, and for a time ; they
spring up when their sleep is ended, and reign
with Him for ever.

The inference to be drawn from this doctrine is
plain. Among the wise men of the heathen, as I
have said, it was usual to speak slightingly and
contemptuously of the mortal body; they knew
no better. They thought it scarcely a part of
their real selves, and fancied they should be in a
better condition without it. Nay, they considered
it to be the cause of their sinning ; that the soul
of man was pure, and the material body was
gross, and defiled the soul. We have been taught
the truth, viz. that sin is a disease of our minds,
of ourselves ; and that all of us, not body alone,
but soul and body, is naturally corrupt, and that
Christ has redeemed and cleansed whatever we

THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. (Skrm.

are, sinful soul and body. Accordingly their
chief hope in death was the notion they should
be rid of their body. Feeling they were sinful,
and not knowing how, they laid the charge on
their body; and knowing they were badly cir-
cumstanced here, they thought death perchance
might be a change for the better. Not that they
rested on the hope of returning to a God and
Father, but they thought to be unshackled from
the earth, and able to do what they would. It
was consistent with this slighting of their earthly
tabernacle, that they burned the dead bodies of
their friends, not burying them as we do, but
consuming them as a mere worthless case of what
had been precious, and was then an incumbrance
to the ground. Far different is the temper which
the glorious light of the Gospel teaches us. Our
bodies shall rise again and live for ever; they
may not be irreverently handled. How they
will rise we know not ; but surely if the word of
Scripture be true, the body from which the soul
departed shall come to life. There are some
truths addressed solely to our faith, not to our
reason ; not to our reason, because we know so
little about " the power of God," (in our Saviour's
words,) that we have nothing to reason upon.
One of these, for instance, is the presence of Christ
in the Sacrament. We know we eat His Body
and Blood ; but it is our wisdom not curiously
to ask how or whence, not to give our thoughts

XXI. ] THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 321

range, but to take and eat and profit thereby.
This is the secret of gaining the blessing promised.
And so, as regards the resurrection of the dead,
we have no means or ground of argument. We
cannot determine in what exact sense our bodies
will be on the resurrection the same as they are
at present, but we cannot harm ourselves by tak-
ing God's declaration simply, and acting upon it.
And it is as believing this comfortable truth, that
the Christian Church put aside that old irreve-
rence of the funeral pile, and consecrated the
ground for the reception of the saints that sleep.
We deposit our departed friends calmly and
thoughtfully, in faith ; not ceasing to love or re-
member that which once lived among us, but
marking the place where it lies, as believing that
God has set His seal upon it, and His Angels
guard it. His Angels, surely, guard the bodies
of His servants; Michael the Archangel, thinking
it no unworthy task to preserve them from the
powers of eviP. Especially those like Moses,
who fall "in the wilderness of the people," whose
duty has called them to danger and suffering, and
who die a violent death, these too, if they have
eaten of that incorruptible bread, are preserved
safe till the last day. There are, who have not
the comfort of a peaceful burial. They die in
battle, or on the sea, or in strange lands, or as

' Jude 9.
VOL. I. Y

3^2 THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. [Serm.

the early believers, under the hands of persecu-
tors. Horrible tortures, or the mouths of wild
beasts, have ere now dishonoured the sacred
bodies of those who had fed upon Christ ; and
diseases corrupt them still. This is Satan's work,
the expiring efforts of his fury, after his overthrow
by Christ. Still, as far as we can, we repair
these insults of our Enemy, and tend honourably
and piously those tabernacles in which Christ has
dwelt. And in this view, what a venerable and
fearful place is a Church, in and around which
the dead are deposited ! Truly it is chiefly sacred,
as being the spot where God has for ages mani-
fested Himself to His servants; but add to this
the thought, that it is the actual resting-place of
those very servants, through successive times, who
still live unto Him. The dust around us will
one day become animate. We may ourselves be
dead long before, and not see it. We ourselves
may elsewhere be buried, and should it be our
exceeding blessedness to rise to life eternal, we
may rise in other places, far in the east or west.
But, as God's word is sure, what is sown is
raised ; the earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to
dust, shall become glory to glory, and life to the
living God, and a true incorruptible image of the
spirit made perfect. Here the saints sleep, here
they shall rise. A great sight will a Christian
country then be, if earth remains what it is ; when
holy places pour out the worshippers who have

XXI.] THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 323

for generations kept vigil therein, waiting through
the long night for the bright coming of Christ !
And if this be so, what pious composed thoughts
should be ours when we enter Churches! God
indeed is every where, and His Angels go to and
fro; yet can they be more worthily employed in
their condescending care of man, than where good
men sleep ? In the service of the Communion we
magnify God together with Angels and Archangels,
and all the company of heaven. Surely there is
more meaning in this than we know of; what a
"dreadful" place would this appear if our eyes
were opened as those of Elisha's servant ! " This
is none other than the house of God, and this is
the gate of heaven."

On the other hand, if the dead bodies of Chris-
tians are honourable, so doubtless are the living ;
because they have had their blessedness when
living, therefore have they in their sleep. He
who does not honour his own body as something
holy unto the Lord, may indeed revere the dead,
but it is then a mere superstition, not an act of
piety. To reverence holy places (right as it is)
will not profit a man unless he reverences himself.
Consider what it is to be partaker of the Body
and Blood of Christ. We pray God, in our
Church's language, that " our sinful bodies may
become clean through His body;" and we are
promised in Scripture, that our bodies shall be
temples of the Holy Ghost. How should we study,

y2

324 THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. [Sbrm.

then, to cleanse them from all sin, that they may
be true members of Christ ! We are told that
the peril of disease and death attends the unworthy
partaking of the Lord's Supper. Is this wonderful,
considering the strange sin of receiving it into a
body disgraced by wilful disobedience? All that
defiles it, intemperance or other vice, all that is
unbecoming, all that is disrespectful to Him who
has bought our bodies with a price, must be put
aside ^ Hear St. Paul's words, "Christ being
raised from the dead, dieth no more . . . likewise
reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin . . .
let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,
that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof-." "If
the Spirit of Him who raised up Jesus from the
dead dwell in you. He that raised up Christ from
the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by

His indwelling Spirit If ye, through the

Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall
live^"

Work together with God, therefore, my
brethren, in this work of your redemption.
While He feeds you, ' prepare for the heavenly
feast; "discern the Lord's body" when it is
placed before you, and suitably treasure it after-
wards. Lay up year by year this seed of life
within you, believing it will one day bear fruit.
" Believe that ye receive it, and ye shall have

' 1 Cor. vi. 20. ' Rom. vi. 9— 12. ' Rom. viii. 11.

XXI.] THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 325

it'." Glorious, indeed, will be the spring time
of the Resurrection, when all that seemed dry and
withered will bud forth and blossom. The glory
of Lebanon will be given it, the excellency of Car-
mel and Sharon; the fir tree for the thorn, the
myrtle tree for the briar; and the mountains and
the hills shall break forth before us in singing.
Who would miss being of that company ? Wretched
men they will then appear, who now for a season
enjoy the pleasures of sin. Wretched, who follow
their own selfish will, instead of walking by faith,
who are now idle, instead of trying to serve God,
who are set upon the world's vanities, or who scoff
at religion, or who allow themselves in known sin,
who live in anger, or malice, or pride, or covetous-
ness, who do not continually strive to become bet-
ter and holier, who are afraid to profess themselves
Christians and take up their cross and follow Christ.
May the good Lord make us all willing to follow
Him ! may He rouse the slumberers, and raise them
to a new life here, that they may inherit His eter-
nal kingdom hereafter !

' Mark xi. 24.

SERMON XXII.

THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES.

Acts x. 40, 41.

•' Him God raised up the third day, and showed Him openly ;
not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of
God, even to us who did eat and drink with Him after He
rose from the dead."

It might have been expected, that, on our Saviour's
rising again from the dead, He would have shown
Himself to very great numbers of people, and
especially to those who crucified Him ; whereas,
we know from the history, that, far from this
being the case. He showed Himself only to
chosen witnesses, chiefly His immediate followers;
and St. Peter avows this in the text. This seems
at first sight strange. We are apt to fancy the
resurrection of Christ as some striking visible
display of His glory, such as God vouchsafed
from time to time to the Israelites in Moses'
time; and considering it in the light of a public
triumph, we are led to imagine the confusion

THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES. 327

and terror which would have overwhelmed His
murderers, had He presented Himself alive be-
fore them. Now, thus to reason, is to conceive
Christ's kingdom of this world, which it is not ;
and to suppose that then Christ came to judge
the world, whereas that judgment will not come
till the last day, when in very deed those wicked
men shall " look on Him whom they have
pierced."

But even without insisting upon the spiritual
nature of Christ's kingdom, which seems to be the
direct reason why Christ did not show Himself to
all the Jews after His resurrection, other distinct
reasons may be given, instructive too. And one of
these I will now set before you.

This is the question, " Why did not our Saviour
show Himself after His resurrection to all the peo-
ple? why only to witnesses chosen before of God?"
and this is my answer : " Because this was the most
effectual means of propagating His religion through
the world."

After His resurrection. He said to His disciples,
"Go, convert all nations ' :" this was His especial
charge. If, then, there are grounds for thinking
that, by showing Himself to a few rather than to
many. He was more surely advancing this great
object, the propagation of the Gospel, this is a
sufficient reason for our Lord's having so ordained ;

' Matt, xxviii. 19.

328 THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES. [Serm.

and let us thankfully receive His dispensation, as
He has given it.

1. Now consider what would have been the
probable effect of a public exhibition of His
resurrection. Let us suppose that our Saviour
had shown Himself as openly as before He suf-
fered ; preaching in the Temple and in the streets
of the city ; traversing the land with His Apos-
tles, and with multitudes following to see the
miracles which He did. What would have been
the effect of this ? Of course, what it had already
been. His former miracles had not effectually
moved the body of the people ; and, doubtless,
this miracle too would have left them as it found
them, or worse than before. They might have
been more startled at the time; but why should
this amazement last ? When the man taken with
a palsy was suddenly restored at His word, the
multitude were all amazed, and glorified God,
and were filled with fear, saying, " We have seen
strange things to-day '." What could they have
said and felt more than this, when " one rose
from the dead?" In truth, this is the way of the
mass of mankind in all ages, to be influenced by
sudden fears, sudden contrition, sudden earnest-
ness, sudden resolves, which disappear as sud-
denly. Nothing is done effectually through un-
trained human nature ; and such is ever the con-

- Luke V. 26.

XXII.] THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES. 329

ditioii of the multitude. Unstable as water, it
cannot excel. One day it cried Hosanna ; the
next, Crucify Him. And had our Lord appeared
to them after they had crucified Him, of course
they would have shouted Hosanna once more ;
and when He had ascended out of sight, then
again they would have persecuted His followers.
Besides, the miracle of the Resurrection was much
more exposed to the cavils of unbelief than others
which our Lord had displayed ; than that, for
instance, of feeding the multitudes in the wilder-
ness. Had our Lord appeared in public, yet few
could have touched Him, and certified themselves
it was He Himself. Few, comparatively, in a
great multitude could so have seen Him both
before and after His death, as to be adequate
witnesses of the reality of the miracle. It would
have been open to the greater number of them
still to deny that He was risen. This is the very
feeling St. Matthew records. When He appeared
on a mountain in Galilee to His apostles and
others, as it would seem, (perhaps the five hundred
brethren mentioned by St. Paul,) " some doubted''^
whether it were He. How could it be otherwise?
these had no means of ascertaining that they
really saw Hi7n who had been crucified, dead,
and buried. Others, admitting it was Jesus, would
have denied that He ever died. Not having seen
Him dead on the cross, they might have pre-
tended He was taken down thence before life was

330 THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES. [Serm.

extinct, and so restored. This supposition would
be a sufficient excuse to those who wished not to
believe. And the more ignorant part would fancy
they had seen a spirit without flesh and bones as
man has. They would have resolved the miracle
into a magical illusion, as the Pharisees had done
before, when they ascribed His works to Beelze-
bub ; and would have been rendered no better or
more religious by the sight of Him, than the com-
mon people are now-a-days by tales of apparitions
and witches.

Surely so it would have been ; the chief
priests would not have been moved at all ; and
the populace, however they had been moved at
the time, would not have been lastingly moved,
not practically moved, not so moved as to pro-
claim to the world what they had heard and seen,
to preach the Gospel. This is the point to be
kept in view : and consider that the very reason
why Christ showed Himself at all was in order to
raise up witnesses to His resurrection, ministers of
His word, founders of His Church, and how in the
nature of things could a populace ever become
such ?

2. Now, on the other hand, let us contemplate
the means which His Divine Wisdom actually
adopted with a view of making His resurrection
subservient to the propagation of His Gospel. —
He showed Himself openly, not to all the people,
but unto witnesses chosen before of God. It is,

XXII.] THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES. 331

indeed, a general characteristic of the course of
His providence to make the few the channels of
His blessings to the many; but in the instance
we are contemplating, a few were selected because
only a few could (humanly speaking) be made
instruments. As I have already said, to be wit-
nesses of His resurrection it was requisite to have
known our Lord intimately before His death.
This was the case with the Apostles; but this
was not enough. It was necessary they should
be certain it was He Himself, the very same
whom they before knew. You recollect how
He urged them to handle Him, and be sure that
they could testify to His rising again. This is
intimated in the text also ; " witnesses chosen be-
fore of God, even to us who did eat and drink
with Him after He rose from the dead." Nor
were they required merely to know Him, but the
thought of Him was to be stamped upon their
minds as the one master-spring of their whole
course of life for the future. But men are not
easily wrought upon to be faithful advocates of
any cause. Not only is the multitude fickle : but
the best men, unless urged, tutored, disciplined to
their work, give way; untrained nature has no
principles.

It would seem, then, that our Lord gave His
attention to a few, because, if the few be gained,
the many follow. To these few He showed Him-
self again and again. These He restored, com-

S32 THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES. [Serm.

forted, warned, inspired. He formed them unto
Himself, that they might show forth His praise.
This His gracious procedure is opened to us in
the first words of the book of the Acts. " To the
Apostles w4iom He had chosen." " He showed
Himself alive after His passion by many infal-
lible proofs; being seen of them forty days, and
speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom
of God." Consider, then, if we may state the
alternative reverently, which of the two seems the
more likely way, even according to a human
wisdom, of forming preachers of the Gospel to
all nations, — the exhibition of the Resurrection to
the Jewish people generally, or this intimate
private certifying of it to a few ? And remember
that, as far as we can understand, the two proce-
dures were inconsistent with each other; for that
period of preparatory prayer, meditation, and in-
struction, which the Apostles passed under our
Lord's visible presence for forty days, was to them
what it could not have been, had they been follow-
ing Him from place to place in public, supposing
there had been an object in this, and mixing in the
busy crowds of the world.

3. I have already suggested, what is too ob-
vious almost to insist upon, that in making a
select few the ministers of His mercy to mankind
at large, our Lord was but acting according to
the general course of His providence. It is plain
every great change is effected by the few, not by

XX 1 1] THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES. 333

the many; by the resolute, undaunted, zealous
few. True it is that societies sometimes fall to
pieces by their own corruption, which is in one
sense a change without special instruments
chosen or allowed by God; but this is a disso-
lution, not a work. Doubtless, much may be
undone by the many, but nothing is dotie except
by those who are specially trained for action.
In the midst of the famine Jacob's sons stood
looking one upon another, but did nothing.
One or two men, of small outward pretensions,
but with their hearts in their work, these do great
things. These are prepared, not by sudden ex-
citement, or by vague general belief in the truth
of their cause, but by deeply impressed, often
repeated instruction ; and since it stands to reason
that it is easier to teach a few than a great num-
ber, it is plain such men always will be few.
Such as these spread the knowledge of Christ's
resurrection over the idolatrous world. Well
they answered the teaching of their Lord and
Master. Their success sufficiently approves to us
His wisdom in showing Himself to them, not to
all the people.

4. Remember, too, this further reason why the
witnesses of the Resurrection were few in number ;
viz. because they were on the side of Truth. If
the witnesses were to be such as really loved and
obeyed the Truth, there could not be many chosen.
Christ's cause was the cause of light and religion.

334 THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES. [Serm.

therefore His advocates and ministers were neces-
sarily few. It is an old proverb, (which even the
heathen admitted,) that "the many are bad."
Christ did not confide His Gospel to the many;
had He done so, we may even say, that it would
have been at first sight a presumption against its
coming from God. What was the chief work of
His whole ministry, but that of choosing and
separating from the multitude those who should
be fit recipients of His Truth ? As He went the
round of the country again and again, through
Galilee and Judea, He tried the spirits of men
the while ; and rejecting the baser sort who " ho-
noured Him with their lips while their hearts
were far from Him," He specially chose twelve.
The many He put aside for a while as an adulterous
and sinful generation, intending to make one
last experiment on the mass when the Spirit
should come. But His twelve He brought near
to Himself at once, and taught them. Then He
sifted them, and one fell away; the eleven
escaped as though by fire. For these eleven
especially He rose again ; He visited them and
taught them for forty days ; for in them He saw
the fruit of the " travail of His soul and was
satisfied ;" in them " He saw His seed. He pro-
longed His days, and the pleasure of the Lord
prospered in His hand." These were His wit-
nesses, for they had the love of the Truth in
their hearts. " I have chosen you," He says

XXII.J THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES. 335

to them, " and ordained you that ye should go and
bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should re-
main ^"

So much then in answer to the question, why
did not Christ show Himself to the whole Jewish
people after His resurrection. I ask in reply,
what would have been the use of it ? a mere
passing triumph over sinners whose judgment is
reserved for the next world. On the other hand,
such a procedure would have interfered with,
nay, defeated, the real object of His rising again,
the propagation of His Gospel through the world
by means of His own intimate friends and followers.
And further, this preference of the few to the many
seems to have been necessary from the nature of
man, since all great works are effected, not by a
multitude, but by the deep-seated resolution of
a few ; — nay, necessary too from man's depravity,
for, alas ! popular favour is hardly to be expected
for the cause of Truth ; and our Lord's instruments
were few, if for no other reason, yet at least for
this, because more were not to be found, because
there were but few faithful Israelites without guile
in Israel according to the flesh.

Now, let us observe how much matter, both for
warning and comfort, is supplied by this view.
We learn from the picture of the infant Church
what that Church has been ever since, that is,

' John XV. 16.

336 THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES. [Serm.

as far as man can understand it. Many are called,
few are chosen. We learn to reflect on the sfreat
danger there is, lest we be not in the number of
the chosen, and are warned to " watch and pray
that we enter not into temptation," to " work out
our salvation with fear and trembling," to seek
God's mercy in His Holy Church, and to pray to
Him ever that He would "fulfil in us the sfood
pleasure of His will," and complete what He once
began.

But, besides this, we are comforted too; we
are comforted, as many of us as are living humbly
in the fear of God. Who those secret ones are,
who in the bosom of the visible Church live as
saints fulfilling their calling, God only knows.
We are in the dark about it. We may indeed
know much about ourselves, and we may form
somewhat of a judgment about those with whom
we are well acquainted. But of the general body
of Christians we know little or nothing-. It is our
duty to consider them as Christians, to take them
as we find them, and to love them ; and it is no
concern of ours to debate about their state in
God's sight. Without however entering into this
question concerning God's secret counsels, let us
receive this truth before us for a practical ])iirpose ;
that is, I speak to nil who are conscious to them-
selves that they wish and try to serve God, what-
ever their progress in religion be, and whether or
not they dare apply to themselves, or in whatever

XXII.] THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES. 3S7

degree, the title of Christian in its most sacred
sense. All who obey the Truth are on the side of
the Truth, and the Truth will prevail. Few in
number but strong in the Spirit, despised by the
world, yet making way while they suffered, the
twelve Apostles overturned the power of darkness,
and established the Christian Church. And let
all " who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity "
be quite sure, that weak though they seem, and
solitary, yet the "foolishness of God is wiser
than men, and the weakness of God is stronger
than men." The many are " deceitful," and the
worldly-wise are " vain ;" but he " that feareth
the Lord, the same shall be praised." The most
excellent gifts of the intellect last but for a season.
Eloquence and wit, shrewdness and dexterity, these
plead a cause well and propagate it quickly, but
it dies with them. It has no root in the hearts
of men, and lives not out a generation. It is
the consolation of the despised Truth, that its
works endure. Its words are few, but they live.
Abel's faith to this day "yet speaketh^" The
blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church.
"Fret not thyself" then "because of evil doers,
neither be thou envious against the workers of
iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like
the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust
in the Lord and do good . . . delight thyself also

' Hebrews xi. 4.
VOL. I. Z

338 THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES. [Serm.

in Him, and He shall give thee the desires of thy
heart ; commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also
in Him, and He shall bring it to pass . . . He
shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light,
and thy judgment as the noon-day ... A little
that a righteous man hath is better than the riches
of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked
shall be broken, but the Lord upholdeth the
righteous .... I have seen the wicked in great
power, and spreading himself like a green bay-tree,
yet he passed away, and, lo ! he was not ; yea, I
sought him, and he could not be founds" The
heathen world made much ado when the Apostles
preached the Resurrection. They and their asso-
ciates were sent out as lambs among wolves ; but
they prevailed.

We too, though' we are not witnesses of Christ's
actual resurrection, are so spiritually. By a heart
awake from the dead, and by affections set on
heaven, we can as truly and without figure wit-
ness that Christ liveth, as they did. He that
believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in
himself. Truth bears witness by itself to its
Divine Author. He who obeys God conscien-
tiously, and lives holily, forces all about him to
believe and tremble before the unseen power of
Christ. To the world indeed at large he wit-
nesses not; for few can see him near enough to

^ Psalm xxxvii. 1—6. 16, 17. 35, 36.

XXII.] THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES. 339

be moved by his manner of living. But to his
neighbours he manifests the Truth in proportion
to their knowledge of him ; and some of them,
through God's blessing, catch the holy flame,
cherish it, and in their turn transmit it. And thus
m a dark world Truth still makes way in spite of
the darkness, passing from hand to hand. And
thus it keeps its station in high places, acknow-
ledged as the creed of nations, the multitude of
which are ignorant, the while, on what it rests,
how it came there, how it keeps its ground ; and
despising it, think it easy to dislodge it. But
"the Lord reigneth." He is risen from the dead,
" His throne is established of old ; He is from
everlasting. The floods have lifted up their voice,
the floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high
is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea,
than the mighty waves of the sea. His testimo-
nies are very sure; holiness becometh His house
for ever \"

Let these be our thoughts whenever the preva-
lence of error leads us to despond. When St.
Peter's disciple, Ignatius, was brought before the
Roman emperor, he called himself Theophorus ;
and when the emperor asked the feeble old man
why he so called himself, Ignatius said it was
because he carried Christ in his breast. He wit-
nessed there was but One God, who made heaven,

' Psalm xciii.
z2

340 THE CHRISTIAN WITNESSES.

earth, and sea, and all that is in them, and One
Lord Jesus Christ, His Only-begotten Son, " whose
kingdom (he added) be my portion !" The emperor
asked, "His kingdom say you, who was crucified
under Pilate?" "His (answered the Saint) who
crucified my sin in me, and who has put all the
fraud and malice of Satan under the feet of those
who carry Him in their hearts : as it is written, ' I
dwell in them and walk in them.' "

Ignatius was one against many, as St. Peter had
been before him; and was put to death as the
Apostle had been : — ^but he handed on the Truth,
in his day. At length we have received it. Weak
though we be, and solitary, God forbid we should
not in our turn hand it on ; glorifying Him by our
lives, and in all our words and works witnessing
Christ's passion, death, and resurrection !

SERMON XXIII.

CHRISTIAN REVERENCE.

Psalm ii. 11.
" Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling."

Why did Christ show Himself to so few witnesses
after He rose from the dead ? Because He was a
King, a King exalted upon God's " Holy hill of
Zion ;" as the Psalm says which contains the text.
Kings do not court the multitude, or show them-
selves as a spectacle at the will of others. They
are the rulers of their people, and have their state
as such, and are reverently waited on by their great
men : and when they show themselves, they do so
out of their condescension. They act by means of
their servants, and must be sought by those who
would gain favours from them.

Christ, in like manner, when exalted as the
Only-begotten Son of God, did not mix with the
Jewish people, as in the days of His humiliation.
He rose from the grave in secret, and taught in
secret forty days, because "the government was

342 CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. [Serm.

upon His shoulder." He was no longer a ser-
vant washing His disciples' feet, and dependent
on the wayward will of the multitude. He was
the acknowledged Heir of all things. His throne
was established by a Divine decree; and those
who desired His salvation, were bound to seek His
face. Yet not even by those who sought was He
at once found. He did not permit the world to
approach Him rashly, or curiously to gaze on
Him. Those only did He call beside Him who
had been His friends, who loved Him. Those
only He bade "ascend the hill of the Lord,"
who had " clean hands and a pure heart, who
had not worshipped vanity nor sworn deceitfully."
These drew near, and " saw the Lord God of
Israel," and so were fitted to bear the news of
Him to the people at large. He remained "in
His holy temple;" tliey from Him proclaimed the
tidings of His resurrection, and of His mercy.
His free pardon offered to all men, and the promises
of grace and glory which His death had procured
for all who believe.

Thus are we taught to serve our risen Lord with
fear and rejoice with trembling. Let us pursue
the subject thus opened upon us. — Christ's second
sojourn on earth (after His resurrection) was in
secret. The time had been when He "preached
openly in the synagogues," and in the public ways ;
and openly wrought miracles such as man never
did. Was there to be no end of His labours in

XXIII.] CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. 343

our behalf? His death "finished" them; after-
wards He taught His followers only. Who shall
complain of His withdrawing Himself at last from
the world, when it M'as of His own spontaneous
loving-kindness that He ever showed Himself at
all?

Yet it must be borne in mind, that even before
He entered into His glory, Christ spoke and acted
as a King. It must not be supposed that, even
in the days of His flesh. He could forget who
He was, or " behave Himself unseemly " by any
weak submission to the will of the Jewish people.
Even in the lowest acts of His self-abasement, still
He showed His greatness. Consider His conduct
when He washed St. Peter's feet, and see if it
were not calculated (assuredly it was) to humble,
to awe, and subdue, the very person to whom He
ministered. When He taught, warned, pitied,
prayed for, His ignorant hearers, He never al-
lowed them to relax their reverence or to over-
look His condescension. Nay, He did not allow
them to praise Him aloud, and publish His acts
of grace ; as if what is called popularity would
be a dishonour to His holy name, and the ap-
plause of men would imply their right to censure.
The world's praise is akin to contempt Our
Lord delights in the tribute of the secret heart.
Such was His conduct in the days of His flesh.
Does it not interpret His dealings with us after
His resurrection ? He who was so reserved in His

844 CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. [Serm.

communications of Himself, even when He came
to minister, much more would withdraw Himself
from^the eyes of men when He was exalted over
all things.

I have said, that even when a servant, Christ
spoke with the authority of a king ; and have given
you some proof of it. But it may be well to dwell
upon this. Observe then, the difference between
His promises, stated doctrinally and generally, and
His mode of addressing those who were actually
before Him, While He announced God's willing-
ness to forgive all repentant sinners, in all fulness
of loving-kindness and tender mercy, yet He did
not use supplication to these persons or those,
whatever their number or their rank might be.
He spoke as one who knew He had great favours
to confer, and had nothing to gain from those
who received them. Far from urging them to
accept His bounty. He showed Himself even
backward to confer it, inquired into their know-
ledge and motives, and cautioned them against
entering His service without counting the cost of
it. Thus sometimes He even repelled men from
Him.

For instance : When there went " great multi-
tudes with Him ... . He turned and said unto
them. If any man come to Me, and hate not his
father and mother, and wife and children, and
brothers and sisters, yea, and his own life also,
he cannot be My disciple." These were not the

XXIII.] CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. 345

words of one who courted popularity. He pro-
ceeds ; — " Which of you intending to build a
tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the
cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it ? . ...
So likewise, whosoever he be of you, that for-
saketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My
disciple \" On the other hand, observe His con-
duct to the powerful men, and the learned Scribes
and Pharisees. There are persons who look up
to human power, and who are pleased to asso-
ciate their names with the accomplished and cul-
tivated of this world. Our Blessed Lord was as
inflexible towards these, as towards the crowds
which followed Him. They asked for a sign ;
He named them " an evil and adulterous gene-
ration," who refused to profit by what they had
already received *. They asked Him, whether He
did not confess Himself to be one with God ;
but He, rather than tell such proud disputers,
seemed even to abandon His own real claim, and
made His former clear words ambiguous ^ Such
was the King of Israel in the eyes both of the
multitude and of their rulers ; a " hard saying,"
a " rock of offence even to the disobedient," who
came to Him " with their lips, while their hearts
were far from Him." Continue this survey to
the case of individuals, and it will still appear,

' Luke xiv. 25—33. ' Matt. xii. 39. xxi. 23—27.

' John X. 30—37.

346 CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. [Sehm.

that, loving and merciful as He was most abun-
dantly, yet that He showed both His power and
His grace with reserve, even to them, as well as
to the fickle many, or the unbelieving Pharisees.

One instance is preserved to us of a person
addressing Him, with some notions, indeed, of
His greatness, but in a light and careless tone.
The narrative is instructive from the mixture of
good and bad which the inquirer's character dis-
plays ^ He was young, and wealthy, and is
called " a ruler ; " yet was anxious for Christ's
favour. So far was well. Nay, he " came run-
ning, and kneeled to Him." And he seemed to
address Him in what would generally be con-
sidered as respectful terms : " Good Master,"
he said. Yet our Saviour saw in his conduct a
deficiency; — "One thing thou lackest:" viz.
devotion in the true sense of the word, — a giving
himself up to Christ. This young man seems to
have considered religion as an easy work, and
thought he could live as the world, and yet serve
God acceptably. In consequence, we may suppose,
he had little right notion of the dignity of a
Messenger from God. He did not associate the
Ministers of religion with awful prospects be-
yond the grave, in which he was interested ; nor
reverence them accordingly, though he was not
without some kind of respect for them. Doubtless

' Matt. xix. 16—22. Mark x. 17—22. Luke xviii. 18 — 23.

XXIII.] CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. 347

he thought he was Jionouring our Lord when he
called Him " Good Master ;" and would have
been surprised to hear his attachment to sacred
subjects and appointments called in question.
Yet our Saviour rejected such half homage, and
rebuked what even seemed piously offered. —
" Why callest thou Me good ? " He asked ;
"There is none good but One, that is, God:" as
if He said, " Observest thou what words thou art
using as words of course ? ' good Master ' — am I
accounted by thee as a teacher of man's creation,
and over whom man has power, and accosted by a
form of honour, which, through length of time,
has lost its meaning ; or am I acknowledged to
come and have authority from Him who is the
only source of goodness ? " Nor did our Lord
relax His severity even after this reproof. Ex-
pressly as it is told us, " He hoed him^^ and spoke
to him therefore in great compassion and mercy,
yet He strictly charged him to sell all he had and
give it away, if he would show he was in earnest,
and He sent him away " sorrowful."

You may recollect, too, our Lord's frequent
inquiry into the faith of those who came to Him.
This arose, doubtless, from the same rule, — a
regard to His own Majesty as a King. " If thou
canst believe, all things are possible to him that
belie veth \" He did not work miracles as a mere

• Markix. 23.

348 CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. [Sehm.

display of power ; or allow the world profanely
to look on as at some exhibition of art. In this
respect, as in others, even Moses and Elias stand
in contrast with Him. Moses wrought miracles
before Pharaoh to rival the magicians of Egypt.
Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to bring
down fire from heaven. The Son of God deigned
not to exert His power before Herod, after Moses'
pattern ; nor to be judged by the multitude, as
Elijah. He subdued the power of Satan at His
own seasons ; but when the Devil tempted Him
and demanded a miracle in proof of His Divinity,
He would do none.

Further, even when an inquirer showed earn-
estness, still He did not try to gain him over by
smooth representations of His doctrine. He de-
clared, indeed, the general characteristic of His
doctrine, "My yoke is easy;" but "He made
Himself strange and spake roughly" to those
who came to Him. Nicodemus was another
ruler of the Jews, who sought Him, and he pro-
fessed his belief in His miracles and Divine
mission. Our Saviour answered in these severe
words ; — " Verily, verily, I say unto thee. Except a
man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God."

Such was our Saviour's conduct even during
the period of His ministry ; much more might
we expect it to be such, when He was risen from
His state of servitude, and such we find it.

XXIII.] CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. 340

No man saw Him rise from the grave. His
Angels indeed beheld it ; but His earthly fol-
lowers were away, and the heathen soldiers were
not worthy. They saw, indeed, the great Angel,
who rolled away the stone from the opening of
the tomb. This was Christ's servant ; but Him
they saw not. He was on His way to see His
own faithful and mourning followers. To these
He had revealed His doctrine during His humi-
liation, and called them " His friends ^" First
of all. He appeared to Mary Magdalene in the
garden itself where He had been buried ; then to
the other women who ministered unto Him ; then
to the two disciples travelling to Emmaus ; then
to all the Apostles separately ; besides, to Peter
and to James, and to Thomas in the presence
of them all. Yet not even these. His friends,
had free access to Him. He said to Mary,
" Touch Me not." He came and left them
according to His own pleasure. When they saw
Him, they felt an awe which they had not felt
during His ministry. While they doubted if it
were He, " None of them," St. John says, " durst
ask Him, Who art Thou ? believing that it was
the Lord ^." However, as kings have their days of
state, on which they show themselves publicly
to their subjects, so our Lord appointed a meeting
of His disciples, when they might see Him. He

' Matt. xiii. 11. John xv. 15. * .Tohn xxi. 12.

350 CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. [Serm.

had determined this even before His crucifixion ;
and the Angels reminded them of it. " He goeth
before you into Galilee ; there shall ye see Him, as
He said unto you ^" The place of meeting was a
mountain ; the same (it is supposed) on which He
had been transfigured ; and the number who saw
Him there was five hundred at once, if we join St.
Paul's account to that in the Gospels. At length,
after forty days. He was taken from them ; He
ascended up, "and a cloud received Him out of
their sight."

Are we to feel less humble veneration for Him
now, than His Apostles then ? Though He is
our Saviour, and has removed all slavish fear of
death and judgment, are we, therefore, to make
light of the prospect before us, as if we were sure
of that reward which He bids us struggle for?
Assuredly, we are still to "serve the Lord with
fear, and rejoice with reverence," — to " kiss the
Son, lest He be angry, and so we perish from the
right way, if His wrath be kindled, yea but a
little." In a Christian's course, fear anfl love
must go together. And this is the lesson to be
deduced from our Saviour's withdrawing from the
world after His resurrection. He showed His
love for men by dying for them, and rising
again. He maintained His honour and great
glory by retiring from them when His merciful

' Mark xvi, 7-

XXIII.] CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. 351

purpose was attained, that they might seek Him if
they would find Him. He ascended to His Father
out of our sight. Sinners would be ill company for
the exalted King of Saints. When we have been
duly prepared to see Him, we shall be given to
approach Him.

In heaven, love will absorb fear; but in this
world, fear and love must go together. No one
can love God aright without fearing Him ; though
many fear Him, and yet do not love Him. Self-
confident men, who do not know their own hearts,
or the reasons they have for being dissatisfied
with themselves, do not fear God, and they think
this bold freedom is to love Him. Deliberate
sinners fear but cannot love Him. But devotion
to Him consists in love and fear, as we may un-
derstand from our ordinary attachment to each
other. No one really loves another, who does
not feel a certain reverence towards him. When
friends transgress this sobriety of affection, they
may indeed continue associates for a time, but
they have broken the bond of union. It is mutual
respect which makes friendship lasting. So again,
in the feelings of inferiors towards superiors.
Fear must go before love. Till he who has au-
thority shows he has it and can use it, his for-
bearance will not be valued duly ; his kindness
will look like weakness. We learn to contemn
what we do not fear; and we cannot love what
we contemn. So in religion also. We cannot

352 CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. [Serm.

understand Christ's mercies till we understand
His power. His glory, His unspeakable holiness,
and our demerits ; that is, until we first fear Him.
Not that fear comes first, and then love ; for the
most part they will proceed together. Fear is
allayed by the love of Him, and our love sobered
by our fear of Him. Thus He draws us on with
encouraging voice amid the terrors of His threat-
enings. As in the young ruler's case, He loves
us, yet speaks harshly to us that we may learn
to cherish mixed feelings towards Him. He hides
Himself from us, and yet calls us on, that we
may hear His voice as Samuel did, and, believing,
approach Him with trembling. This may seem
strange to those who do not study the Scrip-
tures, and to those who do not know what it is
earnestly to seek after God. But in proportion
as the state of mind is strange, so is there in it,
therefore, untold and surpassing pleasure to those
who partake it. The bitter and the sweet,
strangely tempered, thus leave upon the mind
the lasting taste of Divine truth, and satisfy it ;
not so harsh as to be loathed ; nor of that insipid
sweetness which attends enthusiastic feelings, and
is wearisome when it becomes familiar. Such
is the feeling of conscience too, God's original
gift ; how painful ! yet who would lose it ? "I
opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for
Thy commandments ^" This is David's account

' Psalm cxix. 131.

XXIII.] CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. 353

of it. Ezekiel describes something of the same
feeling when the Spirit lifted him up and took
him away, " and he went in bitterness, in the heat
of his spirit," " the hand of the Lord" being
" strong upon him^"

Now how does this apply to us here assembled ?
Are we in danger of speaking or thinking of
Christ irreverently? I do not think we are in
any immediate danger of deliberate profaneness ;
but we are in great danger of this, viz. first, of
allowing ourselves to appear profane, and se-
condly of gradually becoming irreverent, while
we are pretending to be so. Men do not begin
by intending to dishonour God ; but they are
afraid of the ridicule of others : they are ashamed
of appearing religious; and thus are led to pre-
tend that they are worse than they really are.
They say things which they do not mean ; and,
by a miserable weakness, allow actions and habits
to be imputed to them which they dare not really
indulge in. Hence, they affect a liberty of speech
which only befits the companions of evil spirits.
They take God's name in vain, to show that they
can do what devils do, and they invoke the evil
spirit, or speak familiarly of all that pertains to
him, and deal about curses wantonly, as though
they were not fire-brands, — as if acknowledging
the Author of Evil to be their great master and
lord. Yes! he is a master who allows himself

' Ezek. iii. 14.
VOL. I. A a

354 CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. [Serm.

to be served without trembling. It is his very art
to lead men to be at ease with him, to think lightly
of him, and to trifle with him. He will submit to
their ridicule, take (as it were) their blows, and
pretend to be their slave, that he may ensnare
them. He has no dignity to maintain, and he
waits his time when his malice shall be gratified.
So it has ever been all over the earth. Among
all nations it has been his aim to make men laugh
at him ; going to and fro upon the earth, and
walking up and down in it, hearing and rejoicing
in that light perpetual talk about him which is
his worship.

Now, it is not to be supposed that all this care-
less language can be continued without its affect-
ing a man's heart at last ; and this is the second
danger I spoke of. Through a false shame, we
disown religion with our lips, and next our words
affect our thoughts. Men at last become the
cold, indifferent, profane characters they professed
themselves to be. They think contemptuously
of God's Ministers, Sacraments, and Worship ;
they slight His word, rarely looking into it, and
never studying it. They undervalue all religious
profession, and judging of others by themselves,
impute the conscientious conduct they witness to
bad motives. Thus they are in heart infidels ;
though they may not formally be such, and may
attempt to disguise their own unbelief under pre-
tence of objecting to one or other of the doctrines

XXIII.] CHRISTIAN REVERENCE. 355

or ordinances of religion. And should a time of
temptation come, when it would be safe to show
themselves as they really are, they will (almost
unawares) throw off their profession of Christianity,
and join themselves to the scoffing world.

And how must Christians, on the other hand,
treat such heartless men ? They have our Lord's
example to imitate. Not that they dare pre-
cisely follow the conduct of Him who had no
sin. They dare not assume to themselves any
honour on their own account ; and they are bound,
especially if they are His Ministers, to humble
themselves as the Apostles did, and "going out
to the highways and hedges, (as it were) compel ^ "
men to be saved. Yet, while they use greater
earnestness of entreaty than their Lord, they must
not forget His dignity the while, who sends them.
He manifested His love towards us, " in deed and
in truth," and we. His Ministers, declare it in
word ; yet for the very reason that it is so abund-
ant, we must in very gratitude learn reverence
towards Him. We must not take advantage (so
to say) of His goodness ; or misuse the powers
committed to us. Never nmst we solicitously
press the truth upon those who do not profit by
what they already possess. It dishonours Christ,
while it does the scorner harm, not good. It is
casting pearls before swine. We must wait for
all opportunities of being useful to men, but be-
' Luke xiv. 23.

A a 2

356 CHRISTIAN REVERENCE.

ware of attempting too much at once. We must
impart the Scripture doctrines, in measure and
season, as they can bear them ; not being eager
to recount them all, rather, hiding them from the
world. Seldom must we engage in controversy or
dispute ; for it lowers the sacred truths to make
them a subject for ordinary debate. Common
propriety suggests rules like these at once. Who
would speak freely about some revered friend in
the presence of those who did not value him ?
or who would think he could with a few words
overcome their indifference towards him ? or who
would hastily dispute about him when his hearers
had no desire to be made love him ?

Rather, shunning all intemperate words, let us
show our light before men by our works. Here
we must be safe. In doing justice, showing
mercy, speaking the truth, resisting sin, obeying
the Church, — in thus glorifying God, there can
be no irreverence. And, above all, let us look
at home, check all bad thoughts, presumptuous
imaginings, vain desires, discontented murmurings,
self-complacent reflections, and so in our hearts
ever honour Him in secret, whom we reverence
by open profession.

May God guide us in a dangerous world, and
deliver us from evil. And may He rouse to serious
thought, by the power of His Spirit, all who are
living in profaneness or unconcern !

SERMON XXIY.

THE RELIGION OF THE DAY.

Hebrews xii. 28, 29.

" Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably
with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming
fire."

In every age of Christianity, since it was first
preached, there has been what may be called a
religion of the world, which so far imitates the one
true religion, as to deceive the unstable and un-
wary. The world does not oppose religion as such.
I may say, it never has opposed it. In parti-
cular, it has, in all ages, acknowledged in one
sense or other the Gospel of Christ, fastened on
one or other of its characteristics, and professed
to embody this in its practice ; while by neglecting
the other parts of the holy doctrine, it has, in fact,
distorted and corrupted even that portion of it
which it has exclusively put forward, and so has
contrived to explain away the whole ; — for he who

358 THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. [Serm.

cultivates only one precept of the Gospel to the
exclusion of the rest, in reality attends to no part
at all. Our duties balance each other ; and
though we are too sinful to perform them all
perfectly, yet we may in some measure be per-
forming them all, and preserving the balance on
the whole ; whereas, to give ourselves only to this
or that commandment, is to incline our minds in a
wrong direction, and at length to pull them down
to the earth, which is the aim of our adversary,
the devil.

It is his aim to break our strength ; to force us
down to the earth, — to bind us there. The world
is his instrument for this purpose ; but he is too
wise to set it in open opposition to the Word of
God. No ! he affects to be a prophet like the
prophets of God. He calls his servants also pro-
phets; and they mix with the scattered remnant
of the true Church, with the solitary Micaiahs
who are left upon the earth, and speak in the
name of the Lord. And in one sense they speak
the truth ; but it is not the whole truth ; and we
know, even from the common experience of life,
that half the truth is often the most gross and
mischievous of falsehoods.

Even in the first age of the Church, while
persecution still raged, he set up a counter reli-
gion among the philosophers of the day, partly
like Christianity, but in truth a bitter foe to it;
and it deceived and shipwrecked the faith of

XXIV.] THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. 359

those who had not the love of God in their
hearts.

Time went on, and he devised a second idol of
the true Christ, and it remained in the temple of
God for many a year. The age was rude and
fierce. Satan took the darker side of the Gospel ;
its awful mysteriousness, its fearful glory, its
sovereign inflexible justice; and here his picture
of the truth ended, "God is a consuming fire;"
so declares the text, and we know it. But we
know more, viz. that God is love also ; but Satan
did not add this to his religion, which became one
of fear. The religion of the world was then a
fearful religion. Superstitions abounded, and cruel-
ties. The noble firmness, the graceful austerity
of the true Christian were superseded by forbidding
spectres, harsh of eye, and haughty of brow ; and
these were the patterns or the tyrants of a beguiled
people.

What is Satan's device in this day ? a far dif-
ferent one ; but perhaps a more pernicious. I
will attempt to expose it, or rather to suggest
some remarks towards its being exposed, by those
who think it worth while to attempt it ; for the
subject is too great and too difiicult for an occa-
sion such as the present, and, after all, no one
can detect falsehood for another ; — every man
must do it for himself; we can but help each
other.

What is the world's religion now ? It has

360 THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. [Serm.

taken the brighter side of the Gospel, — its tidings
of comfort, its precepts of love ; all darker,
deeper views of man's condition and prospects
being comparatively forgotten. This is the reli-
gion natural to a civilized age, and well has
Satan dressed and completed it into an idol of
the Truth. As the reason is cultivated, the taste
formed, the affections and sentiments refined, a
general decency and grace will of course spread
over the face of society, quite independently of
the influence of revelation. That beauty and
delicacy of thought, which is so attractive in
books, extends to the conduct of life, to all we
have, all we do, all we are. Our manners are
courteous ; we avoid giving pain or offence ; our
words become correct ; our relative duties are
carefully performed. Our sense of propriety shows
itself even in our domestic arrangements, in the
embellishment of our houses, in our amusements,
and so also in our religious profession. Vice
now becomes unseemly and hideous to the ima-
gination, or, as it is sometimes familiarly said,
" out of taste." Thus elegance is gradually made
the test and standard of virtue, which is no longer
thought to possess intrinsic claim on our hearts,
or to exist ftirthe?' than it leads to the quiet and
comfort of others. Conscience is no lonsrer re-
cognised as an independent arbiter of actions,
its authority is explained away ; partly it is
superseded in the minds of men by the so-called

XXIV.] THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. 361

moral sense, which is regarded merely as the love
of the beautiful; partly by the rule of expediency,
which is forthwith substituted for it in the details
of conduct. Now conscience is a stern, gloomy
principle ; it tells us of guilt and of prospective
punishment. Accordingly, when its terrors dis-
appear, then disappear also, in the creed of the
day, those fearful images of Divine wrath with
which the Scriptures abound. They are explained
away. Every thing is bright and cheerful. Reli-
gion is pleasant and easy ; benevolence is the
chief virtue ; intolerance, bigotry, excess of zeal,
are the first of sins. Austerity is an absurdity ; —
even firmness is looked on with an unfriendly,
suspicious eye. On the other hand, all open
profligacy is discountenanced ; drunkenness is
accounted a disgrace ; cursing and swearing are
vulgarities. Moreover, to a cultivated mind, which
recreates itself in the varieties of literature and
knowledge, and is interested in the ever-accumu-
lating discoveries of science, and the ever-fresh
accessions of information, political or otherwise,
from foreign countries, religion will commonly
seem to be dull, from want of novelty. Hence
excitements are eagerly sought out and rewarded.
New objects in religion, new systems and plans,
new doctrines, new preachers, are necessary to
satisfy that craving which the so-called spread
of knowledge has created. The mind becomes
morbidly sensitive and fastidious ; dissatisfied with

362 THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. [Serm

things as they are, desirous of a change as such^
as if alteration must of itself be a relief.

Now I would have you put Christianity for an
instant out of your thoughts ; and consider whe-
ther such a state of refinement as I have attempted
to describe, is not that to which men might be
brought, quite independent of religion, by the
mere influence of education and civilization; and
then again, whether, nevertheless, this mere re-
finement of mind is not more or less all that is
called religion at this day. In other words, is it
not the case, that Satan has so composed and
dressed out what is the mere natural produce of
the human heart under certain circumstances, as
to serve his purposes as the counterfeit of the
Truth? I do not at all deny that this spirit of
the world uses words, and makes professions, which
it would not adopt except for the suggestions of
Scripture; nor do I deny that it takes a general
colouring from Christianity, so as really to be
modified by it, nay, in a measure enlightened and
exalted by it. Again, I fully grant that many
persons in whom this bad spirit shows itself, are
but partially infected by it, and at bottom, good
Christians, though imperfect. Still, after all,
here is an existing system, only partially evangeli-
cal, built upon worldly principle, yet pretending
to be the Gospel, dropping one whole side of it,
viz. its austere character, and considering it enough
to be benevolent, courteous, candid, correct in

XXIV.] THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. 363

conduct, delicate, —though it has no true fear of
God, no fervent zeal for His honour, no deep
hatred of sin, no horror at the sight of sinners, no
indignation and compassion at the blasphemies of
heretics, no jealous adherence to doctrinal truth,
no especial sensitiveness about the particular means
of gaining ends, provided the ends be good, no
loyalty to the Holy Apostolic Church, of which
the Creed speaks, no sense of the authority of reli-
gion as external to the mind: in a word, no
seriousness, and therefore is neither hot nor cold,
but (in Scripture language) lukewarm. Thus the
present age is the very contrary to what are
commonly called the dark ages; and together
with the faults of those ages we have lost their
virtues. I say their virtues; for even the errors
then prevalent, a persecuting spirit, for instance,
fear of religious inquiry, bigotry, these were, after
all, but perversions and excesses of real virtues,
such as zeal and reverence; and we, instead of
limiting and purifying them, have taken them
away root and branch. Why ? because we have
not acted from a love of the Truth, but from the
influence of the Age. The old generation has
passed, and its character with it ; a new order of
things has arisen. Human society has a new
framework, and fosters and developes a new cha-
racter of mind; and this new character is made
by the enemy of our souls, to resemble the Chris-
tian's obedience as near as it may, its likeness

364 THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. [Serm.

all the time being but accidental. Meanwhile, the
Holy Church of God, as from the beginning, con-
tinues its course heavenward ; despised by the
world, yet influencing it, partly correcting it, partly
restraining it, and in some happy cases reclaiming
its victims, and fixing them firmly and for ever
within the lines of the faithful host militant here on
earth, which journeys towards the City of the Great
King. God give us grace to search our hearts,
lest we be blinded by the deceitfulness of sin !
lest we serve Satan transformed into an Angel
of light, while we think we are pursuing true
knowledge; lest, overlooking and ill-treating the
elect of Christ here, we have to ask that awful
question at the last day, while the truth is bursting
upon us, " Lord, when saw we Thee a stranger and
a prisoner?" when saw we Thy sacred Word and
Servants despised and oppressed, "and did not
minister unto Thee' ?"

Nothing shows more strikingly the power of the
world's religion, as now described, than to consider
the very different classes of men M'hom it in-
fluences. It will be found to extend its sway and
its teaching both over the professedly religious and
the irreligious.

1. Many religious men, rightly or not, have
long been expecting a millennium of purity and
peace for the Church. I will not say, whether

' Matt. XXV. 44.

XXIV] THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. 365

or not with reason, for good men may well differ on
such a subject. But, any how, in the case of
those who have expected it, it has become a
temjitation to take up and recognise the world's
l-eligion as already delineated. They have more
or less identified their vision of Christ's kingdom
with the elegance and refinement of mere human
civilization ; and have hailed every evidence of
improved decency, every wholesome civil regula-
tion, every beneficent and enlightened act of state
policy, as signs of their coming Lord. Bent upon
achieving their object, an extensive and glorious
diffusion and profession of the Gospel, they have
been little solicitous about the means employed.
They have countenanced and acted with men who
openly professed unchristian principles. They
have accepted and defended what they considered
to be reformations and ameliorations of the exist-
ing state of things, though injustice must be per-
petrated in order to effect them, or long cherished
rules of conduct, indifferent perhaps in their origin
but consecrated by long usage, must be violated.
They have sacrificed Truth to expedience. They
have strangely imagined that bad men were to
be the immediate instruments of the approaching
advent of Christ ; and (like the deluded Jews
not many years since in a foreign country) they
have taken, if not for their Messiah, (as they did,)
at least for their Elijah, their reforming Baptist,
the Herald of the Christ, children of this world.

366 THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. [Serm.

and sons of Belial, on whom the anathema of the
Apostle lies from the beginning, declaring, " If any
man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be
Anathema Maran-atha^"

2. On the other hand, the form of doctrine,
which I have called the religion of the day, is
especially adapted to please men of sceptical
minds, the opposite extreme to those just men-
tioned, who have never been careful to obey their
conscience, who cultivate the intellect without
disciplining the heart, and who allow themselves
to speculate freely about what religion ought to
bey without going to Scripture to discover what it
really is. Some persons of this character almost
consider religion itself to be an obstacle in the
advance of our social and political well-being.
But they know human nature requires it; there-
fore they select the most rational form of religion
(so they call it) which they can devise. Others
are far more seriously disposed, but are corrupted
by bad example or other cause. But they all
discard (what they call) gloomy views of religion ;
they all trust themselves more than God's word,
and thus may be classed together ; and are ready
to embrace the pleasant consoling religion natural
to a polished age. They lay much stress on
works on Natural Theology^ and think that all
religion is contained in these; whereas, in truth,

» 1 Cor. xvi. 22.

XXIV.] THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. 367

there is no greater fallacy than to suppose such
works in themselves in any true sense to be reli-
gious at all. Religion, it has been well observed,
is something relative to us ; a system of com-
mands and promises from God towards us. But
how are we concerned with the sun, moon, and
stars ? or with the laws of the universe ? how-
will they teach us our duty ? how will they speak
to sinners f They do not speak to sinners at all.
They were created hefwe Adam fell. They
" declare the glory of God," but not His will.
They are all perfect, all harmonious ; but that
brightness and excellence which they exhibit in
their own creation, and the Divine benevolence
therein seen, are of little moment to fallen man.
We see nothing there of God's wrath, of which
the conscience of a sinner loudly speaks. So
that there cannot be a more dangerous (though
a common) device of Satan, than to carry us off
from our own secret thoughts, to make us forget
our own hearts, which tell us of a God of justice
and holiness, and to fix our attention merely on the
God who made the heavens; who is owr God in-
deed, but not God as manifested to us sinners, but
as He shines forth to His Angels, and to His elect
hereafter.

When a man has so far deceived himself as to
trust his destiny to what the heavens tell him of
it, instead of consulting and obeying his con-
science, what is the consequence? that at once

368 THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. [Serm.

he misinterprets and perverts the whole tenor of
Scripture. It cannot be denied that, pleasant as
religious observances are declared in Scripture to
be to the holy, yet to men in general they are
said to be difficult and distasteful ; to all men
naturally impossible, and by few fulfilled even
with the assistances of grace, on account of their
wilful corruption. Religion is said to be against
nature, to be against our original will, to require
God's aid to make us love and obey it, and to be
commonly refused and opposed in spite of that
aid. We are expressly told, that " strait is
the gate and narrow the way that leads to life,
and few there be that find it;" that we must
" strive " or struggle " to enter in at the strait gate,"
for that "many shall seek to enter in," but that
is not enough, they merely seek and do not
find it ; and further, that they who do not obtain
everlasting life, " shall go into everlasting punish-
ment'." This is the dark side of religion; and
the men I have been describing cannot bear to
think of it. They shrink from it as too terrible.
They easily get themselves to believe that those
strong declarations of Scripture do not belong to
the present day, or that they are figurative.
They have no language within their heart re-
sponding to them. Conscience has been silenced.
The only information they have received con-

* Matt. vii. 14. Luke xiii. 24. Matt. xxv. 46.

t

XXIV ] THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. 369

cerning God has been from Natural Theology, and
that speaks only of benevolence and harmony ;
so they will not credit the plain word of Scripture.
They seize on such parts of Scripture as seem to
countenance their own opinions ; they insist on
its being commanded us to " rejoice evermore ;"
and they argue that it is our duty to solace our-
selves here (in moderation of course,) with the
goods of this life, — that we have only to be thank-
ful while we use them, — that we need not alarm
ourselves, — that God is a merciful God, — that
repentance is quite sufficient to atone for our
offences, — that though we have been irregular
in our youth, yet that is a thing gone by, — that
we forget it, and therefore God forgets it, — that
the world is, on the whole, very well disposed
towards religion, — that we should avoid enthu-
siasm,— that we should not be over serious, — that
we should have enlarged views on the subject of
human nature, — and that we should love all men.
This indeed is the creed of shallow men, in every
age, who reason a little, and feel not at all, and
who think themselves enlightened and philoso-
phical. Part of what they say is false, part is true,
but misapplied ; but why I have noticed it here, is
to show how exactly it fits in vrith what I have
already described as the peculiar religion of a civi-
lized age; it fits in with it equally well as does
that of the (so called) religious world, which is the
opposite extreme.

VOL. I. B b

370 THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. [Serm.

One further remark I will make about these
professedly rational Cliristians ; who, be it observed,
often go on to deny the mysteries of the Gospel.
Let us take the text : — " Our God is a consuming
fire." Now supposing these persons fell upon these
words, or heard them urged as an argument against
their own doctrine of the unmixed satisfactory
character of our prospects in the world to come,
and supposing they did not know what part of the
Bible they occurred in, what would they say ?
Doubtless they would confidently say that they
applied only to the Jews and not to Christians;
that they only described the Divine Author of
the Mosaic Law ^ ; that God formerly spoke in
terrors to the Jews, because they were a gross and
brutish people, but that civilization has made us
quite other men ; that our reason, not our fears,
is appealed to, and that the Gospel is love. And
yet, in spite of all this argument, the text occurs
in the Epistle to the Hebrews, written by an
Apostle of Christ.

I shall conclude with stating more fully what
I mean by the dark side of religion ; and what
judgment ought to be passed on the superstitious
and gloomy.

Here I will not shrink from uttering my firm
-conviction, that it would be a gain to this country,
were it vastly more superstitious, more bigoted,

' Dent. iv. 24.

XXIV.] THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. .STl

more gloomy, more fierce in its religion, than at
present it shows itself to be. Not, of course, that
I think the tempers of mind herein irapHed desir-
able, which would be an evident absurdity ; but I
think them infinitely more desirable and more
promising than a heathen obduracy, and a cold,
self-sufficient, self-wise tranquillity. Doubtless,
peace of mind, a quiet conscience, and a cheerful
countenance are the gift of the Gospel, and the
sign of a Christian ; but the same effects (or,
rather, what appear to be the same) may arise
from very different causes. Jonah slept in the
storm, — so did our Blessed Lord. The one slept
in an evil security : the Other in the " peace of
God which passeth all understanding." The two
states cannot be confounded together, they are
perfectly distinct ; and as distinct is the calm of
the man of the world from that of the Christian.
Now take the case of the sailors on board the ves-
sel ; they cried to Jonah, " What meanest thou, O
sleeper ? " — so the Apostles said to Christ ; " Lord,
we perish." This is the case of the superstitious ;
they go between the false peace of Jonah and the
true peace of Christ ; they are better than the one,
though far below the Other. Applying this to the
present religion of the educated world, full as it
is of security and cheerfulness, and decorum, and
benevolence, I observe that these appearances
may arise either from a great deal of religion, or
from the absence of it ; they may be the fruits of

Bb2

I

372 THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. [Serm.

lightness of mind and a blinded conscience, or of
that faith which has peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ. And if this alternative be
proposed, I might almost leave it to the common
sense of men, (if they could get themselves to
think seriously) to which of the two the temper
of the age is to be referred. For myself I cannot
doubt, seeing what I see of the world, that it
arises from the sleep of Jonah ; and it is there-
fore but a dream of religion, far inferior in worth
to the well grounded alarm of the superstitious,
who are awakened and see their danger, though
they do not attain so far in faith as to embrace the
remedy of it.

Think of this, I beseech you, my brethren, and
lay it to heart, as far as you go with me, as
you will answer for having heard it at the last
day. I would not willingly be harsh ; but know-
ing " that the world lieth in wickedness," I think
it highly probable that you, so far as you are in
it, (as you must be, and we all must be in our
degree,) are, most of you, partially infected with
its existing error, that shallowness of religion,
which is the result of a blinded conscience ; and,
therefore, I speak earnestly to you. Believing in
the existence of a general plague in the land, I
judge that you probably have your share in the
sufferings, the voluntary sufferings, which it is
spreading among us. The fear of God is the
beginning of wisdom ; till you see Him to be a

XXIV.] THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. 373

consuming fire, and approach Him with reverence
and godly fear, as being sinners, you are not
even in sight of the strait gate. I do not wish
you to be able to point to any particular time
when you renounced the world (as it is called),
and were converted; this is a deceit. Fear and
love must go together; always fear, always love,
to your dying day. Doubtless ; — still you must
know what it is to sow in tears here, if you would
reap in joy hereafter. Till you know the weight
of your sins, and that not in mere imagination,
but in practice, not so as merely to confess it in a
formal phrase of lamentation, but daily and in
your heart in secret, you cannot embrace the
offer of mercy held out to you in the Gospel,
through the death of Christ. Till you know what
it is to fear with the terrified sailors or the
Apostles, you cannot sleep with Christ at your
Heavenly Father's feet. Miserable as were the
superstitions of the dark ages, revolting as are the
tortures now in use among the heathen of the
East, better, far better is it, to torture the body
all one's days, and to make this life a hell upon
earth, than to remain in a brief tranquillity here,
till the pit at length opens under us, and awakens
us to an eternal fruitless consciousness and re-
morse. Think of Christ's own words : — *' What
shall a man give in exchange for his soul ? "
Again, He says, " Fear Him, who after He hath
killed, hath power to cast into hell ; yea, I say

374 THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. [Sehm.

unto you, fear Him." Dare not to think you
have got to the bottom of your hearts ; you do not
know what evil lies there. How long and earn-
estly must you pray, how many years must you
pass in careful obedience, before you have any
right to lay aside sorrow, and to rejoice in the
Lord ? In one sense, indeed, you may take com-
fort from the first; for, though you dare not yet
anticipate you are in the number of Christ's true
elect, yet from the first you know He desires
your salvation, has died for you, has washed away
your sins by baptism, and will ever help you ;
and this thought must cheer you while you go
on to examine and review your lives, and to turn
to God in self-denial. But, at the same time,
you never can be sure of salvation, while you are
here ; and therefore you must always fear while
you hope. Your knowledge of your sins increases
with your view of God's mercy in Christ. And
this is the true Christian state, and the nearest
approach to Christ's calm and placid sleep in
the tempest; — not perfect joy and certainty in
heaven, but a deep resignation to God's will,
a surrender of ourselves, soul and body, to Him ;
hoping indeed, that we shall be saved, but fixing
our eyes more earnestly on Him than on our-
selves ; that is, acting for His glory, seeking to
please Him, devoting ourselves to Him in all
manly obedience and strenuous good works ; and,
when we do look within, thinking of ourselves

p

XXIV.] THE RELIGION OF THE DAY. 375

with a certain abhorrence and contempt as being-
sinners, mortifying our flesh, scourging our appe-
tites, and composedly awaiting that time when,
if we be worthy, we shall be stripped of our
present selves, and new made in the kingdom of
Christ.

SERMON XXV.

SCRIPTURE A RECORD OF HUMAN SORROW.

John v. 2, 3.

" There is at Jerusalem by the sheepmarket a pool, which is
called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind,
halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water."

What a scene of misery this pool of Bethesda
must have presented ! of pain and sickness tri-
umphing unto death; the "blind, halt, withered,
and impotent," persuaded by the hope of cure to
disclose their sufferings in the eye of day in one
large company. This pool was endued, at cer-
tain times, with a wonderful virtue by the descent
of an Angel into it, so that its waters effected
the cure of the first who stepped into it, whatever
was his disease. However, I shall not speak of
this wonderful pool ; nor of our Saviour's miracle,
wrought there upon the man who had no one
to put him in before the rest, when the water

SCRIFrURE A RECORD, &c. 377

was troubled, and had been for thirty -eight years
afflicted with his infirmity. Without entering into
these subjects, let us take the text as it stands in
the opening of the chapter which contains it, and
deduce a lesson from it.

There lay about the pool " a great multitude
of impotent folk, of blind, halt, and withered."
This is a painful picture, such as we do not like
to dwell upon, — a picture of a chief kind of human
suffering, bodily disease ; one which suggests to
us and typifies all other suffering, — the most
obvious fulfilment of that curse which Adam's
fall brought upon his descendants. Now it must
strike every one who thinks at all about it, that
the Bible is full of such descriptions of human
misery. We know it also abounds in accounts of
human sin ; but not to speak of these, it abounds
in accounts of human distress and sufferings, of
our miserable condition, of the vanity, unprofit-
ableness, and trials of life. The Bible begins
with the history of the curse pronounced on the
earth and man ; it ends with the book of Revela-
tions, a portion of Scripture fearful for its threats,
and its prediction of judgments ; and whether the
original curse on Adam be now removed from the
world or not, it is certain that God's awful curses,
foretold by St. John, are on all sides of us.
Surely, in spite of the peculiar promises made to
the Church in Christ our Saviour, yet as regards
the world, the volume of inspiration is still a

378 SCRIPTURE A RECORD [Sehm.

dreary record, " written within and without with
lamentations, and mourning, and woe." And fur-
ther, you will observe that it seems to drop what
might be said in favour of this life, and en-
larges on the unpleasant side of it. The history
passes quickly from the Garden of Eden, to dwell
on the sufferings which followed, when our first
parents were expelled thence ; and though, in
matter of fact, there are traces of paradise still
left among us, yet it is evident. Scripture says
little of them in comparison of its accounts of
human misery. Little does it say concerning the
innocent pleasures of life ; of those temporal
blessings which rest upon our worldly occupa-
tions, and make them easy ; of the blessings
which we derive from " the sun and moon, and
the everlasting hills," from the succession of the
seasons and the produce of the earth ; — little
about our recreations and our daily domestic
comforts; — little about the ordinary occasions of
festivity and mirth which occur in life, and
nothing at all about those various other enjoy-
ments which it would be going too much into
detail to mention. Human tales and poems are
full of pleasant sights and prospects ; — they make
things better than they are, and pourtray a sort
of imaginary perfection ; but Scripture (I repeat)
seems to abstain even from what might be said in
praise of human life as it is. We read, indeed,
of the feast made when Isaac was weaned, of

XXV.] OF HUMAN SORROW. 379

Jacob's marriage, of the domestic and religious
festivities of Job's family; but these are excep-
tions in the tenor of the Scripture history. " Va-
nity of vanities, all is vanity;" "man is born to
trouble :" these are its customary lessons. The text
is but a specimen of the descriptions repeated again
and again throughout Scripture, of human infirmity
and misery.

So much is this the case, that thoughtless per-
sons are averse to the Scripture narrative for this
very reason. I do not mean bad men, who speak
hard presumptuous words against the Bible, and
in consequence expose themselves to the wrath
of God; but I speak of thoughiless persons; and
of these there are many, who consider the Bible
a gloomy book, and on that account seldom look
into it, saying that it makes them melancholy.
Accordingly, there have been attempts made on
the other hand to hide this austere character of
Scripture, and make it a bright interesting picture
of human life. Its stories have before now been
profanely embellished in human language, to suit
the taste of weak and cowardly minds. All this
shows, that in the common opinion of mankind, the
Bible does not take a pleasant sunshine view of the
world.

Now why have I thus spoken of this general
character of the sacred history ? — in order to
countenance those who complain of it? — let it
not be imagined ; — far from it. God does nothing

380 SCRIPTURE A RECORD [Serm.

without some wise and good reason, which it
becomes us devoutly to accept and use. He has
not given us this dark view of the world without
a cause. In truth, this view is the ultimate triLe
view of human life. But this is not all; it is a
view which it concerns us much to know. It
concerns us (I say) much to be told that this
world is, after all, in spite of first appearances and
partial exceptions, a dark world; else we shall
be obliged to learn it (and, sooner or later, we
must learn it,) by sad ej?perience; whereas, if we
are forewarned, we shall unlearn false notions of
its excellence, and be saved the disappointment
which follows them. And therefore it is that
Scripture omits even what might be said in praise
of this world's pleasures ; — not denying their
value, such as it is, or forbidding us to use
them religiously, but knowing that we are sure to
find them out for ourselves without being told of
them, and that our danger is on the side, not of
undervaluing, but of overvaluing them ; whereas,
by being told of the world's vanity, at first, we
shall learn, (what else we should only attain at
last,) not indeed to be gloomy and discontented,
but to bear a sober and calm heart under a
smiling cheerful countenance. This is one chief
reason of the solemn character of the Scripture
history; and if we keep it in view, so far from
being oifended and frightened away by its notes
of sorrow, because they grate on the ear at first,

XXV.] OF HUMAN SORROW. 381

we shall steadfastly listen to them, and get them by
heart, as a gracious gift from God sent to us, as a
remedy for all dangerous overflowing joy in present
blessings, in order to save us far greater pain, (if we
use the lesson well,) the pain of actual disappoint-
ment, such as the overthrow of vainly cherished
hopes of lasting good upon earth, will certainly
occasion.

Do but consider what is the consequence of
ignorance or distrust of God's warning voice, and
you will see clearly how mercifiil He is, and how
wise it is to listen to Him. I will not suppose a
case of gross sin, or of open contempt for religion ;
but let a man have a general becoming reverence
for the law and Church of God, and an unhesi-
tating faith in his Saviour Christ, yet suppose
him so to be taken with the goods of this world,
as (without his being aware of it) to give his
heart to them. Let him have many good feel-
ings and dispositions; but let him love his
earthly pursuits, amusements, friends, too well; —
by which I mean, so well as to forget that he is
bound to live in the spirit of Abraham's faith,
who gave up home, kindred, possessions, all his
eye ever loved, at God's word, — in the spirit of
St. Paul's faith, who "counted all things but
loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ
Jesus his Lord," to win whose favour " he suffered
the loss of all things." How will the world go
with a man thus forgetful of his real interests?

382 SCRIPTURE A RECORD [Srhm.

For a while all will be enjoyment ; — if at any time
weariness comes, he will be able to change his
pleasure, and the variety will relieve him. His
health is good and his spirits high, and easily
master and bear down all the accidental troubles
of life. So far is well : but, as years roll on, by
little and little he will discover that, after all, he
is not, as he imagined, possessed of any real sub-
stantial good. He will begin to find, and be
startled at finding, that the things which once
pleased, please less and less, or not at all. He
will be unable to recall those lively emotions in
which he once indulged; and he will wonder
why. Thus, by degrees, the delightful visions
which surrounded him will fade away, and in
their stead, melancholy forms will haunt him,
such as crowded round the pool of Bethesda.
Then will be fulfilled the words of the wise man.
The days will have come, " when thou shalt say,
I have no pleasure in them ; the sun and the
light and the moon and the stars shall be dark-
ened, and the clouds return after the rain ; then
they who look out of the window shall be dark-
ened, the doors shall be shut in the streets, all
the daughters of music shall be brought low,
fears shall be in the way, and desire shall fail'."
Then a man will begin to be restless and dis-
contented, for he does not know how to amuse

• Eccles. xii. 1 — 5.

XXV.] OF HUMAN SORROW. S8S

himself. Before, he was cheerful only from the
natural flow of his spirits, and when such cheer-
fulness is lost with increasing years, he becomes
evil-natured. He has made no effort to change
his heart, — to raise, strengthen, and purify his
faith, — to subdue his bad passions and tempers.
Now their day is come; they have sprung up
and begin to domineer. When he was in health,
he thought about his farm, or his merchandise,
and lived to himself; he laid out his strength on
the world, and the world is nothing to him, as a
worthless bargain (so to say), seeing it is nothing
worth to one who cannot take pleasure in it.
He had no habitual thought of God in the former
time, however he might have a general reverence
for His name ; and now he dreads Him, or (if the
truth must be said) even begins to hate the
thought of Him. Where shall he look for suc-
cour ? Perhaps, moreover, he is a burden to those
around him ; they care not for him, — he is in
their way. And so he will lie year after year,
by the pool of Bethesda, by the waters of health,
with no one helping him; — unable to advance
himself towards a cure, in consequence of his
long habits of sin, and others passing him by,
perhaps unable to help one who obstinately refuses
to be comforted. Thus he has at length full per-
sonal, painful experience, that this world is really
vanity or worse, and all this because he would
not believe it from Scripture.

384 SCRIPTURE A RECORD [Serm.

Now should the above description appear over-
charged, should it be said that it supposes a man
to be possessed of more of the pleasures of life
than most men have, and of keener feelings, —
should it be said that most men have little to
enjoy, and that most of those vrho have much
go on in an ordinary tranquil way, and take and
lose things without much thought, not pleased
much in their vigorous days, and not caring much
about the change when the world deserts them, —
then I must proceed to a more solemn considera-
tion still, on which I do not like to dwell, but
would rather leave it for your own private reflec-
tion upon it. There is a story in the Gospels of a
man who was taken out of this life before he had
turned his thoughts heaven-ward, and in another
world he lift up his eyes being in torments. Be
quite sure that every one of us, even the poorest
and the most dull and insensible, is far more
attached to this world than he can possibly ima-
gine. We get used to the things about us, and
forget they are necessary for our comfort. Every
one, when taken out of this world, would miss a
great deal that he was used to depend on, and
would in consequence be in great discomfort and
sorrow in his new abode, as a stranger in an un-
known place; every one, that is, who had not,
while on earth, made God his Father and Pro-
tector,— that Great God who alone will there be
found. We do not, then, mend the matter at all

XXV.] OF HUMAN SORROW. 385

in supposing a man not to find out the world's
vanity here ; for, even should the world remain
his faithful friend, and please him with its goods,
to his dying day, still that world will be burnt
up at the day of his resurrection ; and even had
he little of its comforts here, that little he will
then miss. Then all men, small and great, will
know it to be vanity, and feel their infinite loss if
they have trusted it, when all the dead stand
before God.

Let this suffice on the use we must make of the
solemn view which the Scripture takes of this life.
Those disclosures are intended to save us pain, by
preventing us enjoying the world unreservedly ;
that we may use it as not abusing it.

Nor let it seem as if this view of life must
make a man melancholy and gloomy. There are,
it is true, men of ill-constituted minds, whom it
has driven out of the world ; but, rightly under-
stood, it has no such tendency. The great rule of
our conduct is to take things as they come. He
who goes out of his way as shrinking from the
varieties of human life which meet him, has weak
faith, or a strangely perverted conscience, — he
wants elevation of mind. The true Christian re-
joices in those earthly things which give joy, but
in such a way as not to care for them when they
go. For no blessings does he care much, except
those which are immortal, knowing that he shall
receive all such again in the world to come. But

VOL. I. c c

386 SCRIPTURE A RECORD [Serm.

the least and the most fleeting, he is too religious
to contemn, considering them God's gift ; and the
least and most fleeting, thus received, yield a purer
and deeper, though a less tumultuous joy. And
if he at times refrains, it is lest he should encroach
upon God's bounty, or lest by a constant use of it
he should forget how to do without it.

Our Saviour gives us a pattern which we are
bound to follow. He was a far greater than John
the Baptist, yet He came, not with St. John's out-
ward austerity, — condemning the display of strict-
ness or gloominess, that we, His followers, might
fast the more in private, and be the more austere
in our secret hearts. True it is, that such 'self-
command, composure, and inward faith, are not
learned in a day ; but if they were, why should
this life be given us ? It is given us as a very pre-
paration time for obtaining them. Only look upon
the world in this light ; — its sights of sorrows are
to calm you, and its pleasant sights to try you.
There is a bravery in thus going straightforward,
shrinking from no duty little or great, passing
from high to low, from pleasure to pain, and
making your principles strong without their be-
coming formal. Learn to be as the Angel, who
could descend among the miseries of Bethesda,
without losing his heavenly purity or his perfect
happiness. Gain healing from troubled waters.
Make up your mind to the prospect of sustaining
a certain measure of pain and trouble in your

XXV.] OF HUMAN SORROW. 387

passage through life ; by the blessing of God this
will prepare you for it, — it will make you thought-
ful and resigned without interfering with your cheer-
fulness. It will connect you in your own thoughts
with the Saints of Scripture, whose lot it was to
be patterns of patient endurance ; and this asso-
ciation brings to the mind a peculiar consolation.
View yourselves and all Christians as humbly
following the steps of Jacob, whose days were few
and evil ; and David, who in his best estate was as
a shadow that declineth, and was withered like
grass; and Elijah, who despised soft raiment and
sumptuous fare; and forlorn Daniel, who led an
Angel's life; and be lighthearted and contented,
because you are thus called to be a member of
Christ's pilgrim Church. Realize the paradox
of making merry and rejoicing in the world be-
cause it is not your's. And if you are hard to be
affected, (as many men are,) and think too little
about the changes of life, going on in a dull way
without hope or fear, feeling neither your need nor
the excellence of religion ; then, again, meditate
on the mournful histories recorded in Scripture, in
order that your hearts may be opened thereby
and roused. Read the Gospels in particular ; you
there find accounts of sick and afflicted persons
in every page as mementos. Above all, you there
read of Christ's sufferings, which I am not now
called upon to speak of; but the thought of which
is far more than enough to make the world, bright

c c 2

388 SCRIPTURE A RECORD, &c.

as it may be, look dark and miserable in itself to
all true believers, even if the record of them were
the only sorrowful part of the whole Bible.

And now I conclude, bidding you think much
of the Scripture history in the light in which I have
put it, — that you may not hereafter find that you
have missed one great benefit which it was gra-
ciously intended to convey.

SERMON XXVI.

CHRISTIAN MANHOOD.

1 Cor. xiii. 11.

" When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a
child, I thought as a child ; but when I became a man, 1
put away childish things."

When our Lord was going to leave the world
and return to His Father, He called His disciples
orphans ; children, as it were, whom He had been
rearing, who were still unable to direct them-
selves, and who were soon to lose their Protector ;
but He said, " I will not leave you comfortless
orphans, I will come to you^ ;" meaning to say,
He would come again to them in the power of
His Holy Spirit, who should be their present all-
sufficient Guide, though He Himself was away.
And we know, from the sacred history, that when
the Holy Spirit came, they ceased to be the de-
fenceless children they had been before. He

* John xiv. 18.

390 CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. [Skrm.

breathed into them a divine life, and gifted them
with spiritual manhood, or 'perfection, as it is called
in Scripture. From that time forth, they put away
childish things : they spake, they understood, they
thought, as those who had been taught to govern
themselves ; and who, having " an unction from the
Holy One, knew all things."

That such a change was wrought in the Apos-
tles, according to Christ's promise, is evident from
comparing their conduct before the day of Pente-
cost, when the Holy Spirit descended on them,
and after. I need not enlarge on their wonderful
firmness and zeal in their Master's cause after-
wards. On the other hand, it is plain from the
Gospels, that before the Holy Ghost came down,
that is, while Christ was still with them, they
were as helpless and ignorant as children ; had no
clear notion what they ought to seek after, and
how, and were carried astray by their accidental
feelings and their long-cherished prejudices. —
What was it but to act the child, to ask how
many, times a fellow-Christian should offend against
us, and we forgive him, as St. Peter did ? or . to
ask to see the Father, with St. Philip ? or to
propose to build tabernacles on the mount, as if
they were not to return to the troubles of the
world? or to dispute who should be the greatest' ?
or to look for Christ's restoring at that time the

* Matt. xvii. 4 ; xviii. 21 ; xx. 20. John xiv. 8.

XXVI.] CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. 391

temporal kingdom to Israel ^ ? Natural as such
views were in the case of half-instructed Jews, they
were evidently unworthy those whom Christ had
made His, that He might " present them perfect"
before the throne of God.

Yet the first disciples of Christ at least put off
their vanities once for all, when the Spirit came
upon them ; but as to ourselves, the Spirit has long
since been poured upon us, even from our earliest
years ; yet it is a serious question, whether multi-
tudes of us, even of those among us who make a
profession of religion, are even so far advanced in
a knowledge of the Truth as the Apostles were
before the day of Pentecost. It may be a profit-
able employment to-day to consider this question,
as suggested by the text, — to inquire how far we
have proceeded in putting off* such childish things
as are inconsistent with a manly, honest profession
of the Gospel.

Now, observe, I am not enquiring whether we
are plainly living in sin, in wilful disobedience;
nor even whether we are yielding through thought-
lessness to sinful practices and habits. The con-
dition of those who act against their conscience, or
who act without conscience, that is, lightly and
carelessly, is far indeed from bearing any resem-
blance to that of the Apostles in the years of their
early discipleship. I am supposing you, my bre-

' Acts i. 6.

CHRISTIAN MANHOOD, [Sehm.

tliren, to be on the whole followers of Christ, to
profess to obey Him ; and I address you as those
who seem to themselves to have a fair hope of
salvation. I am directing your attention, not to
your sins, not to those faults and failings which
you know to be such, and are trying to conquer,
as being confessedly evil in themselves, but to
such of your views, wishes, and tastes, as resemble
those which the Apostles cherished, true believers
as they were, before they attained their manhood
in the Gospel : and I ask, how far you have dis-
missed these from your minds as vain and trifling ;
that is, how far you have made what St. Paul in
the text seems to consider the first step in the true
spiritual course of a Christian, on whom the Holy
Ghost has descended.

1. For example, Let us consider our love of the
pleasures of life. I am willing to allow there is an
innocent love of the world, innocent in itself. God
made the world, and has sanctioned the general
form of human society, and has given us abun-
dant pleasures in it ; I do not say lasting pleasures,
but still, while they last, really pleasures. It
is natural that the young should look with hope
to the prospect before them. They cannot help
forming schemes what they will do when they
come into active life, or what they should wish
to be had they their choice. They indulge them-
selves in fancyings about the future, which they
know at the time cannot come true. At other

XXVI.] CHRISTIAN iVIANHOUD. S93

times they confine themselves to what is possible ;
and then their hearts burn, while they dream of
quiet happiness, domestic comfort, independence.
Or, with bolder views, they push forward their
fortunes into public life, and indulge ambitious
hopes. They fancy themselves rising in the world,
distinguished, courted, admired ; securing influence
over others, and rewarded with high station. James
and John had such a dream when they besought
Christ that they might sit at His side in the most
honourable places in His kingdom.

Now such dreams can hardly be called sinful
in themselves, and without reference to the par-
ticular case ; for the gifts of wealth, power, and
influence, and much more of domestic comfort,
come from God, and may be religiously improved.
But, though not directly censurable, they are child-
ish ; childish either in themselves, or at least when
cherished and indulged ; childish in a Chris-
tian, who has infinitely higher views to engross
his mind ; and, as being childish, excusable only
in the young. They are an offence when retained
as life goes on ; but in the young we may regard
them after the pattern of our Saviour's judgment
upon the young man who was rich and noble.
He is said to have "loved him;" pitying (that
is) and not harshly denouncing the anticipations
which he had formed of happiness from wealth
and power, yet withal not concealing from him
the sacrifice of all these which he must make.

,394 CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. [Serm.

" if he would be perfect," that is, a man, and not a
mere child in the Gospel.

2. But there are other childish views and
habits besides, which must be put off while we
take on ourselves the full profession of a Chris-
tian ; and these, not so free from intrinsic guilt as
those which have been already noticed ; — such as
the love of display, greediness of the world's
praise, and the love of the comforts and luxuries
of life. These, though wrong tempers of mind,
still I do not now call by their hardest names,
because I would lead persons, if I could, rather to
turn away from them as unworthy a Christian,
with a sort of contempt, outgrowing them as they
grow in grace, and laying them aside as a matter of
course, while they are gradually learning to "set
their affections on things above, not on things on
the earth."

Children have evil tempers and idle ways which
we do not deign to speak seriously of. Not that
we, in any degree, approve them or endure them
on their own account ; nay, we punish some of
them ; but we bear them in children, and look
for their disappearing as the mind becomes more
mature. And so in reliofious matters there are
many habits and views, which we bear with in
the unformed Christian, but which we account
disgraceful and contemptible should they survive
that time when a man's character may be sup-
posed to be settled. Love of display is one of

XXVI] CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. 395

these; whether we are vain of our abilities, or
our acquirements, or our wealth, or our personal
appearance ; whether we discover our weakness
in talking much, or love of managing, or again in
love of dress. Vanity, indeed, and conceit are
always disagreeable, for the reason that they in-
terfere with the comfort of other persons, and vex
them ; but I am here observing, that they are
in themselves odious, when discerned in those who
enjoy the full privileges of the Church, and are
by profession men in Christ Jesus, odious from
their inconsistency with Christian faith and earn-
estness.

And so with respect to the love of worldly
comforts and luxuries, (which, unhappily, often
grows upon us rather than disappears from our
character,) whether or not it be natural in youth,
at least, it is (if I may so say,) shocking in those
who profess to be " perfect," if we would estimate
things aright ; and this from its great incon-
gruity with the spirit of the Gospel. Is it not
something beyond measure strange and mon-
strous, (if we could train our hearts to possess a
right judgment in all things,) to profess that our
treasure is not here, but in heaven with Him who
is ascended thither, and to own that we have a
cross to bear after Him, who first suffered before
He triumphed ; and yet to set ourselves deliberately
to study our own comfort as some great and suf-
ficient end, to go much out of our way to promote
it, to sacrifice any thing considerable to guard it,

396 CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. |Serm

and to be downcast at the prospect of the loss of
it? Is it possible for a true son of the Church
militant, while " the ark, and Israel, and Judah
abide in tents," and the "servants of his Lord
are encamped in the open field," to " eat and
drink" securely, to wrap himself in the furniture
of wealth, to feed his eyes with the " pride of life,"
and complete for himself the measure of this
world's elegancies ?

Again, all timidity, irresolution, fear of ridicule,
weakness of purpose, such as the Apostles showed
when they deserted Christ, and Peter especially
when he denied Him, are to be numbered among
the tempers of mind which are childish as well as
sinful ; which we must learn to despise, — to be
ashamed at ourselves if we are influenced by them,
and, instead of thinking the conquest of them a
great thing, to account it as one of the very first
steps towards being but an ordinary true believer ;
just as the Apostles, in spite of their former dis-
cipleship, only commenced (surely) their Christian
course at the day of Pentecost, and then took to
themselves a good measure of faith, boldness, zeal,
and self-mastery, not as some great proficiency and
as a boast, but as the very condition of their being
Christians at all, as the elements of spiritual life,
as a mere outfitting, and a small attainment indeed
in that extended course of sanctification through
which the Blessed Spirit is willing to lead every
Christian.

Now in this last remark I have given a chief

XXVI.] CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. 397

reason for dwelling on the subject before us. It
is very common for Christians to make much of
what are but petty services ; first to place the
very substance of religious obedience in a few
meagre observances, or particular moral precepts
which are easily complied with, and which they
think fit to call giving up the world ; and then to
make a great vaunting about their having done
what, in truth, every one who is not a mere child
in Christ ought to be able to do, to congratulate
themselves upon their success, ostentatiously to
return thanks for it, to condemn others who do not
happen to move exactly along the very same line
of minute practices in detail which they have
adopted, and in consequence to forget that, after
all, by such poor obedience, right though it be,
still they have not approached even to a distant
view of that point in their Christian course, at
which they may consider themselves, in St. Paul's
words, to have "attained" a sure hope of salva-
tion ; just as little children, when they first have
strength to move their limbs, triumph in every
exertion of their newly acquired power, as in
some great victory. To put off idle hopes of
earthly good, to be sick of flattery and the world's
praise, to see the emptiness of temporal greatness,
and to be watchful against self-indulgence ; these
are but the beginnings of religion, these are but
the preparation of heart, which religious earnest-
ness implies ; without a good share of them, how
can a Christian move a step? How could Abra-

398 CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. [Serm.

ham, when called of God, have even set out from
his native place, unless he had left off to think
much of this world, and cared not for its ridicule ?
Surely these attainments are but our first manly
robe, showing that childhood is gone ; and, if we
feel the love and fear of the world still active
within our hearts, deeply must we be humbled,
yes, and alarmed ; and humbled even though but
the traces remain of former weaknesses. But
even if otherwise, what thank have we ? See
what the Apostles were, by way of contrast, and
then you will see what is the true life of the
Spirit, the substance and full fruit of holiness.
To love our brethren with a resolution which no
obstacles can overcome, so as almost to consent
to an anathema on ourselves, if so be we may
save those who hate us, — to labour in God's cause
against hope, and in the midst of sufferings, — to
read the events of life, as they occur, by the
interpretation which Scripture gives them, and
that, not as if the language were strange to us,
but to do it promptly, — to perform all our relative
daily duties most watchfully, — to check every
evil thought, and bring the whole mind into cap-
tivity to the law of Christ, — to be patient, cheer-
ful, forgiving, meek, honest, and true, — to perse-
vere in this good work till death, making fresh and
fresh advances towards perfection, — and after all,
even to the end, to confess ourselves unprofitable
servants, nay, to feel ourselves corrupt and sinful
creatures, who (with all our proficiency) would

XXVI.] CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. S99

still be lost unless God bestow on us His mercy in
Christ ; — these are some of the difficult realities of
religious obedience, which we must pursue, and
which the Apostles in high measure attained, and
which we may well bless God's holy name, if He
enables us to make our own.

Let us then take it for granted, as a truth which
cannot be gainsaid, that to break with the world,
and make religion our first concern, is only to
cease to be children ; and, again, that in conse-
quence, those Christians who have come to mature
years, and yet do not even so much as this, are
" in the presence of the Angels of God" an odious
and unnatural spectacle, a mockery of Christianity.
I do not say what such men are in God's sights
and what 'are their prospects for the next world ;
for that is a fearful thought, — and we ought to be
influenced by motives far higher than that mere
slavish dread of future punishment to which such
a consideration would lead us.

But here some one may ask, whether I am not
speaking severely in urging so many sacrifices at
the beginning of true Christian obedience. In
conclusion, then, I observe, in the first place, that
I have not said a word against the moderate and
thankful enjoyment of this life's goods, when they
actually come in our way ; but against the wishing
earnestly for them, seeking them, and preferring
them to God's righteousness, which is commonly
done. Further, I am not excluding from the

400 CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. [Serm.

company of Christians all who cannot at once
make up their minds thus vigorously to reject the
world, when its goods are dangerous, inexpedient,
or unsuitable ; but excluding them from the com-
pany of mature, manly Christians. Doubtless our
Lord deals gently with us. He has put His two
Sacraments apart from each other. Baptism, first
admits us to His favour ; His Holy Supper brings
us among His perfect ones. He has put from
fourteen to twenty years between them, in the
ordinary course of things, that we may have time
to count the cost, and make our decision calmly.
Only there must be no standing still, there cannot
be ; time goes slowly, yet surely, from birth to the
age of manhood, in like manner, our minds, though
slowly formed to love Christ, must still be form-
ing. It is when men are mature in years, and
yet are " children in understanding," ,then they
are intolerable, because they have exceeded their
season, and are out of place. Then it is that
ambitious thoughts, trifling pursuits and amuse-
ments, passionate wishes and keen hopes, and the
love of display, are directly sinful because they
are by that time deliberate sins. While they were
children, " they spake as children, understood,
thought as children ;" but when they became men,
" it was high time to awake out of sleep ;" and
"put away childish things." And if they have
continued children instead of " having their senses
exercised to discriminate between the excellent

XXVI.] CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. 401

and the base," alas! what deep repentance must
be theirs, before they can know what true
peace is ! — what self-reproach and sharp self-
discipline, before their eyes can be opened to see
effectually those truths which are " spiritually dis-
cerned !"

So much on the case of those who neglect to
grow betimes into the hope of their calling. As
to the young themselves, it is plain that nothing
I have said can give encouragement to them to
acquiesce in their present incomplete devotion of
themselves to God, because it will be as much as
they can do, even with their best efforts, to make
their growth of wisdom and of stature keep pace
with each other. And if there be any one who,
as thinking the enjoyments of youth must soon
be relinquished, deliberately resolves to make the
most of them before the duties of manhood come
upon him, such an one, in doing so, is rendering
it impossible for him to give them up, when he is
called to do so. As for those who allow them-
selves in what, even in youth, is clearly sinful, —
the deliberate neglect of prayer, profaneness, riot-
ous living, or other immorality, — the case of such
persons has not even entered into my mind, when
I spoke of youthful thoughtlessness. They, of
course, have no "inheritance in the kingdom of
Christ and of God."

But if there be those among us, and such there
well may be, who, like the young ruler, " wor-

VOL. I. D d

4<)2 CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. [Serm.

shipping Christ," and "loved" by Him, and
obeying His commandments from their youth
up, yet cannot but be " sorrowful " at the thought
of giving up their pleasant visions, their childish
idolatries, and their bright hopes of earthly hap-
piness, such I bid be of good cheer, and take
courage. What is it your Saviour requires of
you, more than will also be exacted from you by
that hard and evil master, who desires your ruin ?
Christ bids you give up the world ; but will not,
at any rate, the world soon give up you ? Can
you keep it, by being its slave? Will not he,
whose creature of temptation it is, the prince of
the world, take it from you, whatever he at pre-
sent promises? What does your Lord require of
you, but to look at all things as they really are, to
account them merely as His instruments, and to
believe that good is good because He wills it,
that He can bless as easily by hard stone as by
bread, in the desert as in the fruitful field, if we
have faith in Him who gives us the true bread
from heaven ? Daniel and his friends were princes
of the royal house of David ; they were " chil-
dren well-favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, cun-
ning in knowledge, and understanding science ' ;"
yet they had faith to refuse even the literal
meat and drink given them, because it was an
idol's sacrifice, and God sustained them without

' Dan. i. 4.

XXVI.] CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. 403

it. For ten days of trial they lived on pulse and
water; yet "at the end," says the sacred record,
" their countenances appeared fairer and fatter
in flesh than all the children which did eat the
portion of the king's meat." Doubt not, then.
His power to bring you through any difficulties,
who gives you the command to encounter them.
He has showed you the way; He gave up the
home of His mother Mary to " be about His
Father's business," and now He but bids you
take up after Him the cross which He bore for
you, and "fill up what is wanting of His afflic-
tions in your flesh." Be not afraid, — it is but a
pang now and then, and a struggle ; a covenant
with your eyes, and a fasting in the wilderness,
some calm habitual watchfulness, and the hearty
effort to obey, and all will be well. Be not afraid.
He is most gracious, and will bring you on by
little and little. He does not show you whither
He is leading you ; you might be frightened did
you see the whole prospect at once. Sufficient
for the day is its own evil. Follow His plan ; look
not on anxiously ; look down at your present foot-
ing " lest it be turned out of the way," but specu-
late not about the future : I can well believe that
you have hopes now, which you cannot give up,
and even which support you in your present course.
Be it so ; whether they will be fulfilled, or not, is
in His hand. He may be pleased to grant the
desires of your heart; if so, thank Him for His

404 CHRISTIAN MANHOOD.

mercy; only be sure, that all will be for your
highest good, and " as thy days, so shall thy
strength be. There is none like unto the God of
Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help,
and in His excellency on the sky. The Eternal
God is thy refuge, and underneath are the ever-
lasting arms^" He knows no variableness, neither
shadow of turning; and when we outgrow our
childhood, we but approach, however feebly, to His
likeness, who has no youth nor age, who has no
passions, no hopes, nor fears, but who loves truth,
purity, and mercy, and who is supremely blessed,
because He is supremely holy.

Lastly, while we thus think of Him, let us not
forget to be up and doing. Let us beware of in-
dulging a mere barren faith and love, which dreams
instead of working, and is fastidious when it should
be hardy. This is only spiritual childhood in an-
other form ; — for the Holy Ghost is the Author of
active good works, and leads us to the observance
of all lowly deeds of ordinary obedience as the
most pleasing sacrifice to God.

' Deut. xxxiii. 25—27.

THE END.

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